A Knight's Loyalty
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: It is a strange new time for Ivan, and he could use all the friends he can get, but as a Knight, he must be careful to whom he pledges his loyalty. Can the Rangers convince him that they are worthy of that loyalty?
1. Chapter 1

**Legal:** I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, places, chanters, events etc. Anything not covered by these rights should be considered purely the creation of the author.

 **Rating:** T – May be some mild adult themes, violence and language.

Up on Sledge's ship, Sledge was waiting on his bridge with Poisandra, Curio and Wrench. Wrench was busy patching up Curio's popped stitches; while Poisandra was getting bandaged up by one if his Viviks. It wasn't as though they were seriously hurt; both of them had run shortly after it became clear how powerful Ivan was. Poisandra pouted as the Vivik wrapped some bandages around her head.

"Ow, you careless clod, can't you see I'm injured here?" She whined with a little pout Sledge hated to see his beloved suffering like this. He came across, holding her hand gently.

"Be careful with her, she is very precious to me." Sledge warned the creature. He looked to Poisandra. "Never mind my sweet; I know exactly what will make you feel better."

A moment later, the door opened and Fury was dragged in by four Spike Balls, being forced down onto his knees. He struggled against their grip, but he still hadn't recovered enough energy from when Ivan had broken free to fight back effectively. A hand on the back of his head shoved it down roughly, forcing him to bow to Sledge.

"I can explain...!" Fury started to protest, but Sledge wasn't interested in hearing it. He punched him hard across the face, knocking him senseless and rattling his teeth. He glared at Fury in disgust.

"Not only did you lose the Ptera Zord AND lose the Energem, but now there's a Sixth Ranger?" Sledge roared in anger.

"But..."

"You PROMISED me a powerful weapon to destroy the Rangers!" Sledge interrupted him. "Forgive me, but I fail to see how not only losing that weapon, but actually making the enemy forces STRONGER is in any way what you promised to deliver!"

"I knew he couldn't pull it off." Poisandra chirped cheerfully, seeing the position Fury was in. He had no way to defend himself; he was completely at Sledge's mercy. "The only question is what to do with you..."

"Put him in solitary!" Wrench suggested. "Let him spend a century or two alone with his failure!"

"Maximum security!" Curio chipped in, remembering the time Fury had taken his frustrations out on him, literally ripping him to pieces. It had taken Wrench hours to put him back together. "I think that thing with the tentacle would be a good cell mate for him!"

"Why bother with any of that?" Poisandra asked, looking Fury full in the eye. "Why not just blast him into atoms right now?"

"All fine suggestions, but why should we make his suffering so...banal?" Fury asked as he gestured to the door. It opened, and a hideous, skeleton-like creature walked in. "I believe you remember Bones, don't you Fury?"

"You?" Fury asked in astonishment. Bones was a dangerous prisoner, one that he himself had brought in millions of years ago. Bones smiled...or at least he would have if he had lips.

"I've been waiting for my chance!" Bones taunted him. "Indeed, when Sledge told me what he wanted me to do...I volunteered!"

"You...you wouldn't!" Fury stammered. He knew all too well about Bones' special power. He was a lowly thief, mostly specialising in bank heists and trading post robberies, but he had one special power that made the whole thing so simple. He could reach inside a victim and take their 'backbone'. It wasn't really their back bone, that would obviously kill or cripple his enemies, but it was a symbolic gesture, like taking their heart or taking their brain. While he was capable of taking any of those, he favoured the 'backbone', because when he took that, the victim became afraid of pretty much everything that crossed their path. It was a simple matter to rob a bank if the tellers and the security guards were too scared to refuse when he just asked them to open the vault. Ninety nine times out of a hundred, he didn't even need a weapon to clean a place out in minutes flat.

"You shouldn't have failed me!" Sledge told him, before looking to Bones, who was just relishing the opportunity to exact revenge on Fury for his imprisonment. "Take his courage!"

"But master, I am your bravest warrior!" Fury protested. Bones just laughed.

"Not for long!" He responded as he plunged a hand into Fury's back. He felt around, finding what he was looking for, and pulled out a large piece of bone, depositing it in a large pot he carried with him. The Spike Balls dropped Fury, at which he started to scramble away from them.

"Please, don't hurt me!" He screamed. Poisandra and the others just couldn't help laughing at his plight. Fury was going into a full-blown panic just seeing them around him.

"Aw, Bones just made big, brave Fury into a widdle scaredy cat!" Poisandra taunted him. Fury hit the control on the door and ran away. Sledge held up a hand as Poisandra was about to pursue him.

"There is no need, he'll be punished enough as it is." Sledge told her. "He just ran into the cell blocks!"

With that, they all laughed, taking delight as they heard Fury's anguished screams. He had no courage left in his body, and in his panic to get away, he had inadvertently run into a cell block containing some of the most dangerous monsters ever captured. Sledge just looked to Bones.

"Now, let's see you do that to the Rangers!" Sledge told him. "If you take their courage and leave them helpless, I will take their Energems...and then we will happily return you to your home galaxy!"

"With pleasure!" Bones replied, happy to have struck this bargain with Sledge. He knew escape was impossible, but now he had a way out, all he had to do was take the courage from these Rangers, and Sledge would release him free and clear.

In Amber Beach Airport, a private jet touched down, and a blonde woman stepped out of it, looking out into the city. Margaret, the head of Prince Phillipe's security forces, and also his advisor had remained in Zandar when the Prince had come to Amber Beach to retrieve the treasures of Zandar. He had insisted that he would only be a short time, and that he would have no need of her services, but something had happened while he was out there. The first word she received that anything was amiss was when the Prince's security detail arrived back at the palace empty-handed, and without the Prince.

Phillipe's father, the current ruler of Zandar had demanded answers, but the only answers they could give were the ones Phillipe had instructed them to give. He had changed his mind about the museum and opted to let them keep the exhibit, once it became clear they only impersonated him to draw out a threat to the treasures in their care. He had opted to remain in America to explore and expand his knowledge, and all he asked was that Margaret come and find him. That was why she was here now.

She had no idea what the Prince could have been thinking. One of the bodyguards had since told her of Phillipe's words that he could not prove his worth shut up in a palace. While she was happy to think of him developing his knowledge beyond the confines of what he could learn in the palace, remaining halfway around the world without a security detail was a bit of a step too far for comfort as far as she was concerned.

She pulled out her cell phone, and activated the tracking app. The Prince, due to his station, had always been taught that he was at very real risk of abduction. He always carried a GPS with him, something he knew that Margaret would be able to track.

"Wow, you're really serious about getting away from it all aren't you?" She asked herself, seeing the signal. "This place is right out in the Styx."

"Your vehicle is here just as you requested." A man told her, directing her attention to a large, red van. "Though...I'd have thought you'd want something a little more...up-market?"

"It's the luggage space I need." She informed him as a couple of men started to wheel a crate on a flat-bed trolley out of the plane. The man looked to it in confusion.

"How long exactly are you staying?" He asked. Margaret just sighed as she signed the rental agreement. The rental was on the Prince's black credit card, there really was no concern about the vehicle.

"Hopefully not that long." She muttered. "This isn't mine, it's Phillipe's."

As they loaded up, the rental guy just shook his head.

"Wow, that's some gift." He said to himself. "Last time my girlfriend went on holiday I got a ball cap."

Koda finally arrived after his latest training session. He was a little bruised up, but he was much happier, especially now that he knew he had Kendall's blessing. He got into the lab, finding Shelby, Chase, Riley and Tyler watching as Kendall took Ivan around the lab, showing him the equipment.

"So, Koda, how was training?" Chase asked him.

"Training...lot of fun!" Koda told them. "Learn a lot of new moves, you want I show?"

"You know what? I think I'm good." Chase said as he held his hands up. Koda looked over to where Kendall was with Ivan, explaining some of the fundamentals of his equipment. With Koda, there was a lot more trial and error, she had never tried to explain complicated weapons technology to someone who had never operated basic technology like a computer before, but this time, she found it was a bit more familiar. Ivan didn't really need to know HOW the technology worked; he could learn that across time if it was something that really interested him. All he really needed to know was how to make it work in the battlefield.

"So, you already know how to morph with your Energem, but with this Dino Charger, you no longer need your Energem to morph." Kendall explained. Riley came over, picking up his Ptera Sabre, and opened it up, showing him the beds for the Dino Chargers. "The transmuter will power up your collection of Dino Chargers from the Gold Energem."

"These Dino Charger will power your morpher, and also your weapons." Riley told him, opening up the Ptera Sabre. Ivan watched as he closed it, and jumped back a little in surprise as a loud, booming voice came from it.

"Dino Charger, Engage!"

"Truly magical!" Ivan exclaimed. He knew it wasn't strictly speaking magic, the others had started to explain bits and pieces of technology to him, but it was still early days. To him it was magic; he didn't understand how some metal and plastic could create devices of such power. He took the sword and inspected it.

"Come this way, I'll show you the crystal beds." Kendall told him. "Bring your Energem, we'll show you another way we use them."

As they went though, Tyler was busy writing in his diary. Shelby could see he was troubled, and as he scribbled in the diary, she could see the look in his eyes. She knew he had to be thinking about his dad, and the fact that now they knew Ivan had been the energy that had been trapped within Fury, that still left the questions about his father's whereabouts unanswered. Shelby came over to him, but he didn't react, being completely oblivious to her as he focused on his words.

"You mis-spelled 'surprised'." Shelby told him. Tyler snatched the diary away from her.

"Hey! That's not cool!" He protested. Shelby just looked a little sheepish. She knew better than to read someone's diary without permission, but she was worried about Tyler, and she needed to know what was going on in his mind.

"Well...you haven't really said a whole lot since the other night." Shelby reminded him. Tyler just looked to her, realising that she didn't mean any harm. She had already spoken to him about the fact he had hoped his search for his father was over, and his disappointment at the fact that he now, if anything, had more questions than answers.

"We know, you hoping for your father." Koda stated as he flipped through Tyler's diary. Tyler just snatched it away from him. He knew it didn't really matter much; Koda wasn't much of a reader. Under his current learning plan, Kendall had taught him some things, but his reading level was probably about kindergarten level. His favourite book so far was 'The Cat in the Hat'.

"Look, you saw what Ivan can do; he's going to make our team so much stronger." Shelby assured him.

"Find Energems faster!" Koda said, beaming brightly.

"And then, when we get our hands on Fury, and he has no more lackeys to hide behind, we'll make him tell us what happened to your dad." She said to him. Tyler couldn't deny his disappointment, and he found it hard to remain calm whenever he thought about the fact that Fury knew something about what happened to his father, but they just hadn't been able to force him to divulge that information. He saw Shelby looking hopeful, and gestured her in for a hug, holding her warmly.

"You're right." Tyler finally managed to say. "Thanks."

Koda decided he wanted in on this moment, and wrapped his arms around both of them, crushing them with his immense strength. Tyler could swear he heard something in his back cracking.

"Koda...I appreciate the sentiment..." Tyler wheezed. "But...air!"

Koda let them both go, much to both of their relief. They pitied anyone that would have to take a bear hug from him when he actually INTENDED to hurt them!

"Now, this is where your Dino Gem rests." Riley explained as he showed the crystal beds to Ivan. "When you're not carrying your Energem, it rests here, where it re-charges your Dino Chargers between battles."

"Incredible." Ivan gasped as he took the gem out, but as he released his grip on it, it shot straight back into the crystal bed. "Truly wizard's work!"

"Well, it's the first time anyone's called me that." Kendall responded. "But I suppose I can live with it."

Ivan took the Energem and put it away.

"Well, it was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon." He declared as he bowed respectfully to them. "I am certain our paths will cross again soon, until then I bid you good day."

"Whoa, wait...where are you going?" Riley asked. "You're part of our team now."

"I haven't joined your team." Ivan put down flatly.

"But you stayed at our place last night." Tyler reminded him.

"Yes, as I agreed I would when this fair maiden secured my release from the Marshalls." He reminded them. "I agreed I would stay that one night, and then listen to you today and now I have done that."

"I don't think you get it mate." Chase stated. "You're on our team..."

"No, I don't think YOU understand." Ivan declared. "I am a Knight of Zandar, bound by an oath of loyalty. Once I have pledged my allegiance, it is for life. If I pin my courage to the sticking post, I am bound to serve until the war is over or I am in my grave. It is not a decision I can make so hastily."

As he walked away, heading into the elevator, the others just looked more than a little stunned.

"Wait, decision?" Shelby asked. "He doesn't have a choice; he is THE Gold Ranger now!"

Before anyone else could say anything, an alarm sounded. Kendall and the others all rushed over to one of her consoles to see what the warning was.

"Alien bio-signs at the boat-docks." Kendall told them. "You'll have to worry about Ivan later."

"Can I just point out that the last time we let him wander around on his own he got arrested?" Chase asked. Kendall just sighed.

"Somehow I doubt a man walking around in chain mail and carrying a sword is going to be too hard to track." Kendall told him. "Now, if you wouldn't mind dealing with the matter at hand?"

"Right, we're on it." Tyler answered as they all ran out of the Dino Lab.

Meanwhile, outside of the city, Margaret was having a hell of a time trying to track down the Prince. It wasn't hard to find his signal, that was working fine, but she was finding that out here, the concept of "roads" was a little looser than she was used to. It had been over an hour since she had last seen asphalt, and she was struggling to make any sense of the dirt tracks.

"Phillipe, when you go off the grid, you REALLY go off the grid." She grumbled. She eventually found a path that seemed to head straight for the Prince's GPS signal. She eventually pulled up to the front of an old, wooden farmhouse, with a barn around by the side. The land looked like it had been some time since anyone had tended it as a working farm. She pulled up as close as she could to the house.

She got out of the van, and approached the house, knocking loudly on the door. She could see the GPS signal was coming from inside. She didn't get an answer though. She tried the door handle, only to find that the door was open. She made her way inside.

When she got there, she found the Prince's GPS tracker sitting on the coffee table, but no sign of him. She pulled out her berretta, beginning to look around.

"Your Highness?" She asked. She didn't get a response though. As she started to make her way from room to room, looking for him, she started to get a worrying thought. Why didn't he have his GPS on him? Why was the door unlocked? Had something happened to him? She heard a sound behind her and spun around, finding herself pointing the gun straight at Phillipe. He was wearing a charcoal grey t-shirt, and sweat pants that were matted to him by sweat.

"Jesus, don't do that!" Margaret responded.

"I think I have more cause to be concerned, you are the one pointing a gun." Phillipe reminded her. Margaret put the gun away. "I see you've made it at last."

"Phillipe, where the hell were you?" She asked. "I found your GPS..."

"I was working out in the barn; it's a good space for it." He told her. "I rented out this farmhouse from a realtor, do you like it?"

"Your Highness..."

"Please, I'm trying to fit in here." He told her. "Call me Phillipe."

"Fine, Phillipe." She sighed. "Why was the door unlocked?"

"Oh, no one around here locks their doors." Phillipe told her in an off-hand way. "It's so...nicely old-fashioned, don't you find that quaint?"

"I guess." Margaret responded. "So, can I ask why we're at the ass-end of nowhere?"

"Because I have seen true greatness, and I will never attain it in a palace." He told her. "Which is why I have stripped myself of as many luxuries as I can in order to train."

"Train?" She asked. "Train for what?"

"I am going to become a Power Ranger!" He told her proudly. "Six Energems have already been found*, and I know the other four we're looking for. Fortunately a great many Pachycephalosaurus fossils discovered within our borders, and so I have dig teams searching for the one that has an Energem."

"You...want to be a Power Ranger?" She asked. Phillipe just looked to her and smiled.

"The last President of this country was a Ranger." He told her. "I can think of no better person to lead a nation."

"Then...perhaps I can help a little." Margaret told him. She gestured him to follow her outside. As he got there, he saw her opening the back of the van, and saw the large crate there.

"And this is...?"

"This is the latest and greatest in physical training technology." She told him. She grabbed a pry bar and wrenched open the top of the crate. Phillipe looked down on it and smiled. "I take it you're pleased?"

"Margaret, I can safely say you have truly outdone yourself." He complimented her. "Now...how does it work?"

 **A/N:** The Prince's comment, marked * before anyone comments, the RANGERS told him six Energems had been found (everyone forgets about Aqua!) As a result, I thought it only reasonable that he still believes there are four to find when there are in fact only three. Hope that clears it up.


	2. Ivan's Holdings

The Rangers arrived at the Boat Dock, finding people running and screaming from the main pier. They recalled their Raptor Cycles as the first of the panicking civilians ran past them in a blind panic, scrambling over each other to get away.

"Well, you've got to give it to them." Chase sighed. "It's not like they're making it hard to find them."

"This way." Tyler called out as they ran onto the pier. When they got there, they found Poisandra, Curio and Bones, having the time of their lives sending citizens running from them as they engaged in some pointless destruction of the local businesses. Poisandra powered up a massive blast, completely destroying a local seafood restaurant.

"Aw man, I loved that place!" Chase complained. They looked around, seeing the Rangers arranged before them. Poisandra waved her hand, at which a couple of dozen Viviks appeared out of the woodwork.

"Oh, there they are again to spoil all our fun!" Poisandra whined as she confronted them. "But this time it'll be different. Let's see how eager they are to stand against us when you take their courage!"

"Just try it!" Riley roared as they all rushed to the attack.

A few streets away, Ivan was walking around, trying to get his bearings. Amber Beach was indeed far larger than his old lands...hell; it was larger than the entire Principality of Zandar! He marvelled at the creations all around him. In his time, the further he got from his own bastion, or from the palace, the buildings became progressively more humble. They varied from wood-framed buildings that topped out at two stories, to the humble thatched cottages of the peasantry. Right now though, he was surrounded by gargantuan creations of glass and steel that simply seemed impossible by the standards of his day.

"Hot dogs, get your hot dogs here!" He heard someone calling out. "You sir, you look like you could use a hot dog!"

Ivan looked around, before pointing to himself when he realised the man was addressing him. It was a small man, standing by a simple cart. At least, it was simple to HIM. While Ivan was no stranger to vendors selling their wares by the edge of the road in his day, they were simple wooden carts that they would set up grills or spits beside to cook food. This cart though was again made of steel. He was beginning to see why no one carried swords or maces anymore; they used all the steel in the construction of their buildings for some reason.

"You address me sir?" He asked. The man just nodded.

"You look like you could use a hot dog." The vendor announced. "That outfit looks kind of heavy. I admire the commitment to your cosplay, but it's bound to work up an appetite."

"I have been trained to wear armour since my youth, but I must admit that I am hungry." Ivan stated. The man started to make up a hot dog for him. "And something to quench my thirst, this heat is unbearable."

"I'll just get you a soda." The Vendor replied, pulling a can out of a chiller box. Handing it to Ivan, the knight was so shocked by how cold it was that he almost dropped it. "Best chiller on the market! That'll be six dollars fifty."

"I'm sorry?" Ivan asked. The man just smiled.

"You've got to pay for the food mister." He remarked. Ivan realised he was a long way from home. If he was travelling beyond Zandar's borders, he was expected to pay for his own food and drink. Within its borders though, as a knight of the realm, most traders would simply give him their wares. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a large, gold coin, handing it to him.

"Keep the change good sir." Ivan told him. The man just stared at it, and from his expression, he didn't appear too happy.

"What the hell is this?" He asked.

"It is a gold floreign." Ivan declared proudly. For a mere peasant, it was more than they were likely to see in a year, possibly even their life time. "No need to thank me good sir..."

"THANK YOU?" He growled, throwing the coin at Ivan and snatching his food away from him. "Get out of here deadbeat! Come back when you have some REAL money!"

Ivan was completely gobsmacked. In his time, he was used to many vendors simply gifting him food and drink, but this man wouldn't even accept his money? He picked up the coin, which had some scrapes on it from where it hit the concrete. One of the reasons people stopped using gold to make coins was because it was so soft; it didn't take much for it to wear away. Even handling coins too much would wear them away just through the abrasions of the hand rubbing the soft metal. Just then, he heard some screams and saw some people running.

"It seems I shall have to wait to satisfy my hunger!" Ivan stated. "Fear not, I am coming!"

As he ran, the hot dog vendor just shook his head in disbelief, scraping the onions off the hot dog, back into the container of onions.

"Bloody deadbeats, looking for a handout." He grumbled, taking out the hot dog, putting it back in its heater, before tossing the bun back into the steamer. "It's getting so you can't trust anyone these days!"

Back at the site of the battle, the Rangers were starting to thin out their enemies, destroying viviks left and right. Very quickly, the way through to Poisandra, Curio and their latest monster Bones was clear. Chase was the first to make it through, firing off blasts from his Dino Blaster as he went. Unfortunately, it seemed this monster was a lot more nimble than his massive frame would suggest. He deflected most of the blasts, even hitting one straight back at Chase, which drove him through some picnic tables outside another restaurant a little further down the pier. Riley was the next one to take his opening, using the confusion to close the gap.

"Power SLASH!" Riley called, out, powering up his blade and trying to carve up the skeleton before him. Unfortunately, once again he seemed to be a lot faster than Riley gave him credit for.

"I barely need to lift a finger bone to defeat you!" He taunted Riley as he hit him with an uppercut, sending him high into the air. By the time he landed, Riley felt like he'd been hit by a freight train!

"Flying Kick!" Shelby yelled as she tried to press the attack, Bones though showed tremendous strength as he caught her foot in his hand and started swinging her around.

"The foot bone's connected to the..." He started to sing, before releasing her and sending her crashing into Tyler, who was about to attack with his Tyrano Smasher. Koda ran for the monster, grappling with him, trying to exert leverage. He caught his hands, interlacing his fingers with Bones' in a test of strength.

"Give it a WRIST Blue Ranger!" He growled as he kicked Koda back into the others. Tyler started rubbing his head.

"I don't know what's worse, this guy's hits, or his lame puns." Tyler commented. Poisandra just laughed at their plight.

"Skeletons are so in right now." He told them.

"Time to remove some backbones!" Bones said as he started to advance on them. Just before he got to them though, the Ptera Sabre spun through the air, landing on the pier before them, and a massive lightning strike levelled the three monsters. The Rangers all turned to see Ivan arriving on the scene, leaping overhead, blasting Bones repeatedly with his morpher.

"Hey! I'm the Hot Shot!" Chase protested, seeing Bones recoiling under the assault from Ivan's energy bolts. Ivan snatched up his Ptera Sabre, and started hacking away wildly at Bones, forcing the monster back. He only barely remained on his feet as Poisandra and Curio grabbed him, holding him up. They watched as Ivan started to load three Ptera Chargers into his Sabre.

"You better watch your backs!" Poisandra yelled as they all disappeared.

"They're gone for now, but they'll be back." Tyler stated. They all turned to see Ivan leaping overhead, disappearing just as quickly as he had arrived.

"Well that was...rude." Chase remarked.

"Ivan has to join us, we're stronger together." Shelby told them. "You guys get back to the museum; I'll try and find him. I need to talk to him."

Before any of them could refuse, Shelby had run off after him. Tyler just sighed.

"I guess we're heading back to the museum then." He commented as they all started to head for the base.

Elsewhere in Amber Beach, Ivan was walking around, trying to find anything that looked familiar to him. There was, however, one thing that he noticed, and that was the way people were looking at him. Some seemed to be laughing, others, just confused or surprised by his appearance. He passed by a group of kids carrying comic books. One of them pulled out a cell phone and approached him.

"Dude, that cosplay is so SICK!" He complimented him. "Can I take a selfie?"

"A...what?" Ivan asked. The kids all gathered around him, at which the kid snapped off a shot. Ivan stared at the phone, seeing the picture on the screen.

"This device creates self portraits?" He asked.

"Dude, which con are you going to?" One of the kids asked. "That cosplay is a winner for sure!"

"Con?" Ivan asked him. "What is a cosplay?"

"Man, you really are dedicated to the character." Another chuckled. "You know, you dress as a character from a movie or TV show or comic."

"So who are you meant to be?" The first asked. "Jamie Lannister? Rob Stark?"

"I am Sir Ivan, the Knight of Zandar." He proclaimed loudly. The kids just looked to each other.

"Hey, he's the one that the museum has that exhibit to!" One of them recalled. "Nice work dude, you look just like him!"

"Thank you...I think." Ivan said as it started to dawn on him. He'd been gone 800 years, well beyond a normal human lifespan. Obviously these people thought he was just pretending to be...well...himself. He looked around, seeing the marked difference between how he was dressed and how everyone else was dressed. He recalled the incident with the vendor earlier, and especially his refusal to take his money. He looked to the children.

"I require some information." He told them. "Is there a library near here?"

"Uh...sure, there's a public library just around the corner there." One of them told him. "First on the right."

"I thank you young gentlemen. Now, I must bid you adieu." He stated as he left in search of the library.

Poisandra, Curio and Bones regrouped elsewhere in the city, still somewhat licking their wounds from the fight. Bones just looked around.

"I don't see what we're doing here." He commented. "Why aren't we returning to the ship?"

"If you want to return to the ship and explain why you failed to Sledge, then be my guest." Poisandra told him. "Personally, I thought you'd prefer a second chance at taking the Rangers' courage."

"I don't see how..."

"This is the most direct path between the Boat Docks and the museum." Poisandra told him. "The Rangers are bound to show up here eventually, all we have to do is lie in wait, and then we ambush them! Before they have a chance to morph, we'll have all their backbones!"

"I like the way you think." Bones said as he looked around for somewhere to hide.

At Amber Beach library, Ivan walked in, looking around, thoroughly impressed by what he saw. He thought the royal library back home was impressive, but this place, there were at least three full floor filled with book shelves. Rows upon rows of computers were on the ground floor, and people milled about in silence, quietly researching whatever they were looking for.

"Truly this is an age of knowledge." He mused. He heard a small cough.

"Um...sir?" A small woman with short brown hair stated. "Um...I'm afraid that the library does not permit weapons on the premises. You'll have to check your sword."

Ivan looked to the woman, and then to his sword. He was reluctant to remove it; ordinarily he'd only do so if he was asked to by a member of the Royal Family, or as a sign of respect to his host if he was in the home of another noble. However, he still had memories of his night in a police cell fresh in his mind. It seemed the laws and customs had changed a lot since his day. He unfastened his sword belt, and placed the weapon on the counter.

"I am seeking information." He told her.

"Well, you've come to the right place." The woman answered as she took the sword off the desk and put it away. "What did you want to know about?"

"I wish to know more about Zandar." He told her. "Specifically, I wish to know of the personal holdings of Sir Ivan, the Knight of Zandar."

"So, you're a fan?" She asked, noting his outfit. Ivan couldn't really explain any different, so he just allowed her to think that. "Well, I'm sure we have books, but before we start searching that, why don't we see what the internet has to say?"

"Internet?" He asked as he followed her. "I don't see what fishing has to do with..."

The woman seemed to pay no attention to him however, taking a seat at a nearby computer. She opened an internet window to Google, and showed the screen to Ivan.

"Just type what you want to research here, and the information will appear before you." She told him. Ivan seemed sceptical, but he had seen what these computers could do when Kendall showed him her lab. He typed in his name, and was astounded to see thousands of pages listed!

"Well, it seems a lot of people have written stuff about him." The librarian stated. "Let's see if we can't narrow the search a little."

She cross-referenced his name with lands and holdings. Ivan was happier to see that the number of pages had reduced significantly. There were many stories about Sir Ivan, but most were likely fiction. Not many people outside Zandar had any real information about him. Ivan's attention was drawn by one page in particular.

"This page claims to be written by Philliipe III." Ivan stated. "He is the current Prince, and something of a historian."

"Then maybe that will be worth a look." She suggested. Ivan clicked on the page, opening it. He smiled to see a well-structured, well-written page dedicated to his story, headed with a banner of his coat of arms. "I'll leave you to it."

"Now, if I am to survive in this time, it is perhaps time I spoke with the Royal Family." Ivan stated with a smile. "I am certain after so long, my holdings will be worth a tidy sum."

Back on the streets of Amber Beach, Shelby was looking around frantically for Ivan. She could hardly believe how slippery he was. How could it be so difficult to find a man who walked around in full chain mail? She looked to a man on a bench.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for someone, you haven't seen a man walking around in chainmail have you?" She asked. She felt silly for asking, but not as silly as she did when she got her answer.

"Oh yeah, he came riding past here on a white steed, rescued a princess and rode off into the sunset!" The man told her sarcastically. He walked away, laughing.

"Asshole!" She snapped. "Damn it, where is he?"

"Uh...did you say you were looking for a guy in chain mail?" A kid asked her. Shelby looked to the kid and smiled.

"Yes, I did." She answered. The kid shoed her a picture on his phone.

"Is this him?" He asked. Shelby just nodded.

"That's him! That's Ivan!" She called out. "You...didn't happen to see where he went did you?"

"He was heading for the..." The kid started to say, before another stomped on his foot. He just glared at him, while the second kid looked up to her.

"What's it worth to you?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"You know..." He rubbed his fingers together to indicate he was looking for payment. The other kids pulled him back.

"Dude, what are you doing?" One of them asked.

"Come on, she clearly wants to know where that guy is, maybe we can make a little green on the side!" He suggested. "We all know how much we want that Wolverine Origins volume 1, and I don't know how long it'll take either of you to scrape together fifty bucks."

"Dude, there's no way she's going to give us fifty bucks for a comic book!" Another protested.

"No, there really isn't." Shelby told him, getting out her wallet. "Now, you can have ten."

"Ten? Go find him yourself!" The kid told her. Shelby grabbed him and turned him to face her.

"OK, I'll make the nicest offer I can." She told him. "Twenty bucks..."

"Only twenty?" He interrupted her.

"And you don't end up taking a swim in that fountain over there!" She told him, gesturing to a nearby fountain. The kid just gulped.

"Sure, twenty it is." He responded, taking the money. "He went to the library."

"Thank you!" Shelby responded, walking away.

In the library, Ivan was checking out the page, and reading up about his holdings. It was a modest piece of land, at one time there were only a dozen farms on it. As per the feudal system, each of those properties was required to have one man in service to Ivan at any time, meaning he had a modest retinue of twelve spearmen. The tithes from the land weren't huge, but he had more than enough from his service with the Royal Family to make up for it.

"I am certain after eight centuries..." His words tailed off as he saw something. "Wait, this can't be right...two months after Sir Ivan's disappearance, he was declared dead and his lands and fortune became...property of the crown?"

He read on a little further.

"Surely there is at least..." He started to read, and he looked totally disgusted. "No residences on his former lands...it is now a..."

He turned bright red reading the next part.

"A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT?" He roared.

"Wow! Things change huh?" Shelby asked, seeing his reaction as the librarian reminded him to keep quiet. Ivan just sighed and looked to her.

"I have just found out I have no holdings, no retinue, and my home is now where they filter human wasted from the water supply." Ivan groaned. "Please, state your business."

"I don't get you Ivan." She responded. "You're..."

She looked around and lowered her voice.

"You're a Power Ranger now." She reminded him. "There are responsibilities which come with that."

"Indeed, but I am also a knight." He reminded her. "I cannot join your band until they have proven their worth."

"Proof?" Shelby asked him. "If it wasn't for us, you'd still be stuck inside Fury." She reminded him. "If that isn't proof, then I don't know what is." She could see that Ivan was thinking about this. She was hopeful he had gotten through to him.

"Milady, you make a valid point." He stated, looking to the computer. He shut down the search engine. It wasn't like he had a retinue or any form of holdings anymore, and apparently his money and his credit with the Royal Family meant little here. "Perhaps I should reconsider."

"Let's go." Shelby told him. "You won't regret this, I promise you!"

With that, Ivan retrieved his sword from the desk and followed Shelby as they went in search of the others.


	3. A New Retinue

Tyler, Chase, Koda and Riley were making their way back to the museum. They had used the Raptor Cycles to get to the boat docks in time for the attack, but they didn't really want to use them to head back. It was somewhat tempting fate if the Rangers were seen around the museum too often. They had already had a couple of battles on its grounds, and they really didn't need anyone starting to make any connections. Still, it wasn't all bad, it did give them some time to talk a little and decompress after the battle. Koda was tucking into a large hot dog, while the others were talking.

"And did you see how good he was with his morpher?" Riley gushed as they headed back along the water front. "I mean, I've practiced a little archery on the farm, but what he can do...?"

"Aw...is Riley having a little man-crush?" Tyler teased the Green Ranger. Riley just shook his head.

"What? No, I just...I just appreciate his skills." Riley told them. "I mean, I've trained in a lot of the same disciplines he has, but he's actually tried and tested them in the field!"

"And what exactly do you think we've been doing for the last nine months?" Tyler asked him.

"I don't know, I just think Sir Ivan is getting a little bit too big for his boots." Chase said in response. Koda gulped down a large mouthful of his snack.

"Oh, then we just get him new boots, yes?" Koda suggested. Tyler shook his head.

"That's not what he meant Koda; Chase thinks he's full of himself." Tyler explained, realising that Koda just hadn't understood the expression.

"Personally, I think Chase is just a little bit jealous of Ivan's skills." Riley suggested. "That, and the fact he isn't the centre of attention for once."

From their vantage point nearby, Poisandra watched the Rangers coming into view, completely oblivious to their presence. Her plan was about to work to perfection. They had been sent running only moments before, clearly the Rangers hadn't counted on the idea that they would come back so soon. Usually, it took a while for monsters to go and salve their bruised egos after a battle.

"That's it, just come a little closer..." She said, before they all leapt out of cover. "BONES, DO IT NOW!"

The Rangers barely had a chance to register the threat before them as Bones launched...well...bones their way. Before they had a chance to react, the bones wrapped themselves around them, binding all four of them in place.

"Damn it, I can't activate my morpher!" Riley stated. Chase just grunted as he struggled against his bonds.

"Do you think some bones will hold us?" He asked.

"They don't have to hold you for long." Bones told him. "You're very brave now; let's see how brave you are after I take your courage!"

The others could only watch as he plunged his hand into Chase's body.

Not far away, Shelby was leading Ivan in search of her friends. She had a good idea of the route they'd likely take back to the museum, and if the worst came to the worst, then they would always meet up back there. Ivan had a stoic expression, but she could see that he was still troubled by what he had learned.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about your home..."

"I suppose it was a little foolish to believe it would have been held for me." Ivan commented. "I had no wife when I was attacked, no heirs. There was no one to carry on my family lineage. I should have realised that once the Royal Family determined I was not coming back, my lands and coin would be returned to the crown."

He sighed as he pulled out some coins from his purse and looked at them.

"Now, all I possess is what I am wearing now, and these coins, which according to some food vendor are worthless." Ivan told her. Shelby took one of the coins, inspecting it for a moment.

"Dude, the joke is totally on him." Shelby assured him. "These are solid gold!"

"Yes?" He asked, not realising the significance. A lot of coins in his time were made of gold in his time. Not many that peasants were likely to see, but at some of the banquets he had been to, he had seen these self same coins wagered as carelessly as jelly beans on everything from the results of jousting tournaments to the results of a hunt.

"These things are considered valuable artefacts; they're probably worth a small fortune!" Shelby told him. "One of these could probably have bought his whole stand a couple of times over!"

"It is just the change I had when I was attacked." Ivan mused, looking to them. "I suppose I can always seek Ms Morgan's advice on trading them for some coin more suited to this time period."

"Anyway, you don't need to worry; we'll totally take care of you." Shelby assured him. "We'll figure out somewhere for you to stay..."

"In return for joining your band." Ivan stated. Shelby just looked to him.

"We're not that shallow." She told him. "Sure, we'd love you to join us, but we'll help you regardless."

"It has been a long time since I had a retinue." Ivan said with a smile. "I only had a dozen spearmen in my time, but they were a steadfast and courageous group."

"You don't need to worry, just give us a chance." Shelby said to him. "You won't regret this. These guys are as brave as any Knight of Zandar."

Almost as soon as she had said this though, the air was split with piercing, screeching screams. Shelby and Ivan looked to each other, before breaking into a run, thinking that Sledge might have sent another attack against some civilians. Shelby was completely gobsmacked by what she saw as the Rangers all ran into view, before finding themselves cornered, with nowhere to run. They all cowered and screamed, and she could swear she saw them trying to hide behind each other! Riley grabbed a life-preserver, holding it as though hoping he couldn't be seen behind it. Then, she saw what they were all so scared by...Curio?

"They're scared of the walking patchwork quilt?" Shelby asked, realising something had to be amiss. Bones and Poisandra arrived a little behind Curio, but weren't bothering to make any moves. They found it far too funny to see the Rangers afraid of what had to be the least threatening member of Sledge's crew.

"They are a pack of lily-livered cowards." Ivan said, his disgust obvious in his voice.

"What have you done to them?" Shelby asked through gritted teeth. Realising he was now standing before the one Ranger that wasn't afraid of him, Curio immediately retreated behind his mistress. She turned to Ivan. "This...isn't normal! They must have done something to them!"

"It's the Gold Ranger!" Poisandra rushed out in a panic. We can't risk losing again!"

"We already have four Rangers." Bones agreed. "Let's go and tell Sledge how well we've done!"

Shelby didn't bother to pursue them as they ran away; she was far too concerned with figuring out what happened to her friends. Ivan just looked to the cowering Rangers, who even seemed to be afraid of Shelby at this moment in time.

"As brave as a Knight of Zandar hmmm?" He asked sarcastically, before walking away. Shelby wanted to go after him, but she knew she couldn't risk leaving the others here. The state they were in, she had no idea what they might do in a blind panic.

"Ivan, wait, come back!" She called after him, but her words fell on deaf ears. She just looked back to her friends, trying to figure out how to get them safely back to the lab where Kendall could hopefully figure out what had happened.

"I guess they had sarcasm in his day too." She muttered as she grabbed Tyler and hauled him to his feet. "Alright, all of you back to the lab!"

"But, those monsters, they might come back!" Koda protested.

"For pity's sake Koda, you once tackled a freaking Sabre Tooth Tiger!" She reminded him, shoving him down the path. "Come on! I promise I'll protect you!"

Ivan walked through the city, finding himself right back to square one again. It was so much simpler in his day. Once he had been knighted, once he had been given his holdings, it was all so simple. He was given tithes by the people on his land each year, enough to see to it that he always had food on his table, and he had a retinue, a band of warriors he could truly rely on. Unfortunately, all of that was long since gone. His retinue, well, they were all dead by centuries, and even if he DID still own the land, he understood that now, no one actually lived on those lands, meaning he would have no warriors to back him.

He thought about Shelby's words. He had some coin, and now he knew they weren't worthless. It wasn't much, but it would be a start, he would only have to find someone willing to trade modern money for his coin, then at least he could see about somewhere to stay for a short time until he figured out what to do. He would need to find some way to procure more money for the long-term, but more than that, it seemed that now, he needed to find a band of warriors truly worthy to march under his banner.

Shelby had told him of her friend's deeds, and their bravery, but given what he had just seen, he couldn't possibly bring himself to join them. What use were allies who would run screaming from a walking canvas doll? No, if he was to go to battle with these monsters, he needed to have followers he could rely on, and the best way was to recruit them himself.

He jumped back as a horn blared, almost being run over. Lost in thought, he had wandered into a road, and almost got hit by a car. On the other side of the street though, he could see an older man, wearing a bright yellow vest. He walked out into the road confidently, and held up a red sign with the word "Stop" written on it. He looked to Ivan and waved for him to cross.

"You want to be a little more careful there young man." The crossing guard told him. "This road can get pretty dangerous."

"Indeed!" Ivan agreed, looking around. "Good sir, these massive metal beasts could crush you! Yet here you stand without fear, controlling them with nothing but a wave of your hand!"

"Well, I uh..." He started to stammer, looking at the oddly-dressed stranger. Ivan stood up to his full height.

"Sir, I would like you to join with me on my quest!" Ivan proclaimed proudly. "I will take you on adventures you could not imagine, to glory and conquest that the bards will sing about for years!"

The crossing guard was a little confused, but looking Ivan up and down, seeing the way he was dressed, and the sword at his side, he got a thought. He smiled.

"I've...I've always dreamed of going on a quest!" He answered.

"Then today, good sir, your dream comes true." Ivan assured him. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"My name?" He asked. "My name is Ken."

"Well Ken, come, let us leave this place." Ivan told him. "I must have more warriors for my retinue, and the day is still young."

As Ivan continued on his way, Ken started to straighten out his clothes and looking around, all the while smiling.

Back at the museum, Shelby had finally managed to get the Rangers to the loading area, but that was when they hit another snag. It seemed that the Rangers weren't just scared of monsters; they were scared of virtually everything! It had taken her almost fifteen minutes to get them to cross a street, which she was sure there was MEANT to be a crossing guard manning, but that wasn't the end of it. By the time they got there, she encountered another problem, one that was quickly trying her patience. Koda had his arms and legs braced against the mouth of the T-Rex head that acted as the entry way to the lab.

"Not want to go in there!" Koda protested, struggling against her.

"Koda, get IN!" She yelled, trying to shove him inside. The others all just looked horrified, almost like she was actually trying to feed him to a real T-Rex. Eventually, she resorted to fighting dirty. She knew Koda was ticklish, she remembered it taking almost half an hour when Kendall tried to give him a physical because he couldn't stop laughing. As soon as his grip loosened under her touch, she activated the slide, causing him to fall inside.

"KODA!" Tyler called after him. Shelby just looked around.

"Alright Chase, you're next!" She told him. He grabbed Tyler, hiding behind him.

"But it might bite me!" He screamed. She rolled her eyes.

"For the love of God, it's made of fibreglass! How is it going to bite you?" Shelby yelled at him. "Now, get in there!"

Chase was about to run when she grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, dragging him back.

"Ms Morgan TOTALLY needs to give me a raise for this." Shelby muttered.

Up on Sledge's ship, Bones was relaying his success story to Sledge, who seemed more than a little impressed. Poisandra was positively giddy with the outcome of their day.

"You should have seen the Rangers, huddling together like scared little kittens!" Bones laughed loudly as he boasted about his success. "If we had stayed any longer, I'm certain at least one of them would have needed a change of underwear!"

"Finally! All six of them are mine!" Sledge stated. That was when he noticed a distinct pause from Bones. As he turned, he could see an uneasy glance being exchanged between him and Poisandra.

"Um...well...actually...I only took the courage from four of them!" Bones stammered out uneasily. He could see the way Sledge was glaring at him. "The odds turned in their favour, I was going to go back and get the others..."

Sledge kicked him into a drop pod, and slammed it shut.

"Well, don't you DARE come back until you do!" He roared, hitting the launch button and sending Bones back down to Earth. "And bring back those Energems!"

Back on Earth, Ivan and Ken were continuing to look around the city for new recruits to Ivan's retinue. It wasn't long before they found a plaza, where a street-performer was thrilling bystanders with his act. As they arrived, he was breathing fire. Ivan looked on, amazed. He had seen similar performers in his time, but he had no idea how he could perform such a feat. He held up a hand.

"Ken, do you see what I see?" He asked. Ken just looked to the street performer. He just nodded his head.

"It's an impressive display." Ken stated. Ivan watched on as the street performer put his torch away, and grabbed a sword. He raised it up, holding it by the blade as he raised it above his head. Tilting his head back, Ivan just stared in awe as he lowered it into his mouth. It went far further than should have been physically possible.

"That man is swallowing his sword!" Ivan gasped. The performer finished his act to a huge round of applause.

"Thank you; you've been a wonderful audience." He said gratefully as the crowd threw change into his open case. Ivan looked to Ken and approached him, followed by the crossing guard.

"Good sir, your Dragon's breath and throat of steel are truly admirable." Ivan praised him. The street performer just shrugged.

"My mom keeps telling me I should get a real job." He stated.

"Then a real job you shall have!" Ivan declared. "Come with me, join my retinue, and we shall perform great deeds that will inspire tales of heroism!"

"Huh?" He asked, looking confused. Ken just put a hand on Ivan's shoulder.

"Sir Ivan, perhaps if I had a word with him?" Ken suggested. Ivan just nodded and gave them some space. The Street Performer just looked to Ken confused.

"What's your name kid?" Ken asked.

"Derek." He replied. "What's going on? What's with that guy?"

"You don't see what's happening?" Ken asked him. He pulled in closer to have a quiet word. "The goofy outfit, the lame acting, the ridiculous behaviour?"

Derek just shook his head.

"It's obviously some kind of new reality TV show!" Ken rushed out excitedly. Derek just looked to Ivan and back to Ken.

"I...don't see any cameras." He responded.

"It wouldn't be much of a reality show if you did!" Ken told him.

"But...what's the point of it?" He asked.

"Damned if I know, but do you know how much money people make off these shows?" Ken asked him. "Think of the exposure! Today you're working a street corner, a few minutes on television; you'll be on a stage in Vegas by the end of the year!"

Derek just smiled and nodded his head. He liked the sound of that. Ken just grabbed his arm.

"Just remember, play along." Ken told him. "You don't want to screw it up now."

Derek made his way towards Ivan and knelt before him.

"Sir Ivan, I would be proud to serve in your retinue!" Derek proclaimed. "I, Derek the Magician will follow you!"

"Splendid!" Ivan proclaimed, gesturing to him to rise. "Now, let us see if we can find others worthy to join us!"


	4. The Retinue Complete

In the Dino Lab, Kendall, Keeper and Shelby were working hard to try and figure out what had happened to the guys. It was clear something had happened to them. In the space of a couple of hours, they had gone from battling monsters that threatened to tear apart the entire city for even a chance at an Energem...to...

"This would be going a whole lot faster if one of them would stay in the machine!" Kendall groaned as she tried to run her scan again, only to find Riley running, screaming into Koda's cave.

"You see what I mean?" Shelby asked. "They're scared of EVERYTHING! Chase was scared the T-Rex was going to bite him!"

"It's made of fibreglass." Kendall said flatly. "That makes no sense."

"I don't want to go into that machine!" Riley shrieked as Shelby went to try and find him.

"Come on Riley, it's just a scanner." Shelby assured him. "It doesn't hurt! We've all been in it before!"

"So how does it work?" He asked.

"Uh...well..." Shelby started to say. "Well, it uses a low level of radiation..."

"SEE! It IS dangerous!" Riley screamed. "I don't want to get cancer!"

"Riley, you receive a higher count rate of harmful radiation any time you use a microwave!" Kendall told him. "Now, if we're going to find out what that monster did to you, we need to do this!"

Riley didn't respond though, instead he retreated further into the cave to hide with his friends. Kendall just shook her head in disbelief.

"This is ridiculous." Kendall groaned. "How are we meant to get the Rangers to fight if they're too scared to even come out of Koda's cave?"

"I can't believe that monster made them cowards." Shelby responded. "The Energems chose us because we weren't afraid of anything."

"I find that very hard to believe." Keeper told her.

"Seriously, when was the last time you knew any of us to be scared...?"

"Fear is a natural emotion, an instinctual response to danger." Keeper responded as he came close to her. "Even the dinosaurs whose spirits you now possess felt fear. Do you not think the Triceratops felt fear when the first asteroids fell to Earth?"

"It's called fight or flight." Kendall told Shelby. "Fear induces adrenaline and increases the heart rate. It's designed to prepare us to either fight off danger, or to run from it."

"Well these guys are sure doing a lot of running." Shelby commented. "The question is, what do we do to get them to stop?"

"I think I might be able to help with that." They heard a voice saying. Shelby turned and was confused to see Matt coming into the room.

"Matt?" She asked.

"I called him when you told me what had happened to the guys." Kendall told her. "I thought he might be able to help."

"OK, how exactly?" Shelby asked. Matt just smiled as he went towards the cave.

"Riley? You in there?" He called out. Riley started to come into view.

"Matt?" He asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Ken...uh...Ms Morgan called me and told me you needed to take a few tests." Matt called in after him. "She mentioned you were a little reluctant."

"She want to nuke me!" Riley screamed. Matt just smiled.

"Come on Riley, I'm sure it's nothing like that." Matt said with a bright smile.

"She said it herself, it works on radiation!" Riley answered. Matt just came a little closer.

"Look, Ms Morgan wouldn't do anything that would harm you. Surely you know that right?" Matt asked him.

"She seems fine about sending us against those monsters!" Chase said, cowering behind one of Koda's fur pelts. Matt just sighed as he approached his brother.

"Well, you trust me right?" Matt asked him. Riley just nodded. "Have I ever let you come to any harm?"

Riley didn't answer. Ever since he was a kid, everyone in Millport knew not to mess with him while Matt was around. Matt had always protected him and taken care of him. It was one of the things that came from losing their father so young. Matt had taken his new position as the "man of the house" seriously.

"Come on Riley, I'll be right beside you the whole time." Matt assured him, reaching out a hand. "Just like when I took you to get your shots."

Riley still looked terrified, but he took Matt's hand, letting him help him up from the floor. Matt took him over to the machine.

"Alright Ms Morgan, run your scans." Matt told her. "He won't run again."

"So...you needed Matt to convince him to stay?" Shelby asked. "That's the only reason you called him?"

"Shelby...shut up." Kendall whispered as she began the scans.

Elsewhere in the city, Ivan continued his search for his new retinue, followed up by Ken, the crossing guard and Derek the magician. They were heading through the park, on Derek's suggestion.

"If you want strong warriors in this day and age, look for the gridiron." Derek assured him.

"What is this 'gridiron' of which you speak?" Ivan asked. Derek looked to Ken who just shrugged. Clearly this Ivan guy was dedicated to his part. Who the hell didn't know what Football was?

"It's a Football pitch." He stated. Seeing Ivan's expression, he came closer. "It's a place where modern warriors go to test their skills against each other."

"Ah, so it is like a tourney list!" Ivan proclaimed. "Then it will be a fine place to find strong..."

"Hand it over!" They heard someone snarling. They all turned in time to see a guy jumping out of some bushes, and grabbing at a woman in a mobility scooter. He started grabbing and pulling at her purse, trying to yank it away.

"Hey! Give me that!" She protested. Ivan broke into a run, going for his sword as the other two followed him. "That's my purse!"

By the time he got there though, the woman had already poked him straight in the eyes, getting the purse back, before starting to swing it like a mace, clobbering him around the head. Given his reaction to the blows, it seemed the purse was a lot heavier than it looked. Before long, the would-be mugger was running away, having gained only a few bruises and a humiliating lesson in respecting his elders for his trouble. Ivan held up a hand as they got to her.

"My lady, are you alright?" Ivan asked her.

"Why, yes I am thank you." She responded.

"We shall escort you to safety, somewhere you can rest after your ordeal." Ivan told her.

"Oh, there's no need to make a fuss, he got the worst of it." She assured him. "He'll think twice before he tries anything like that again."

"Indeed." Ivan answered with a little smile. "Well, if you do not require our assistance, we shall be on our way."

"Wait!" Ken rushed out. Ivan just stared at him. "Why don't we ask her to come with us?"

"Her?" Ivan asked, pointing to the old woman. "You wish me to ask her to join my retinue."

"She's clearly tough enough, look at the way she sent off that mugger!" Derek interjected. "And...uh...who wouldn't like some...uh...cavalry!"

Ivan looked to the mobility scooter thoughtfully.

"She does ride this modern beast with authority." He mused. "I'm not sure..."

"What about Joan of Arc? SHE rode into battle!" Derek suggested. Ivan just looked at him blankly. He had been missing for 800 years; Joan of Arc was executed in 1431, 534 years ago! He hadn't actually heard of her.

"That's true; she rode into battle against the English with the French army!" Ken informed him. "She was as brave and strong as any knight in their army, just like..."

He paused for a moment, before drawing close to the woman.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Agnes." She answered. Ivan wasn't sure, but it seemed that history was against him on this one. He hadn't heard of any female knights in his day, or any female soldiers, but he had seen Shelby in action, and if these men were to be believed, it seemed there were female warriors for some time, and this Agnes had indeed shown impressive strength.

"Then if you would join us, I would be honoured to invite you into this band." Ivan told her. "Come if you will! We have more work to do!"

As he walked away, Agnes just looked to the other two.

"OK, what just happened?" She asked.

"Just play along, it's some kind of reality TV show!" Ken told her. Agnes smiled brightly.

"I've always wanted to be on TV!" She gushed as she started to straighten out her hair. "Wait...so that young man wasn't really mugging me?"

"It was probably just an actor." Derek assured her.

"Oh, now I feel bad for clobbering him so much." She responded.

"Hey, some of these TV types are really dedicated to their roles. Look at that Ivan guy." Derek chuckled as they all started to follow Ivan. They quickly caught up with him. "Alright, the college pitches are this way!"

"Then that is where we will go!" Ivan announced. "Onward my brave warriors!"

Back at the Dino Lab, Kendall was surveying the scans she had taken of Riley, hoping to find some reason for the Rangers' sudden, inexplicable paralysing terror. Unfortunately, she couldn't see anything that would CAUSE such fear, only the end results. Elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, higher than normal levels of adrenaline, all the hallmarks of a true fight or flight response, but there were no signs of foreign bodies, such as toxins she could locate that would explain it.

"I just...I can't see anything that would cause this." Kendall told them. "No poisons, no hallucinogens, nothing."

"Ivan's still in the city, but I can't see any real pattern to his movements." Shelby stated, checking up a display. Due to the Energem, they could keep track of Ivan, even if he wasn't exactly delighted at the prospect of coming to join their team. "For some reason, he's heading for the college playing fields."

"The only good news is he still seems to be into fighting the good fight right?" Matt suggested. "He might not be on board with joining the team, but at least you can count on him turning up right?"

"I guess so." Kendall answered. "Shelby, try to think, did the monster say ANYTHING about what he did to them?"

"He kept saying something about taking our backbones." Shelby told her.

"He did!" Tyler called out from the entrance to Koda's cave. They all just looked over to him. "He started with Chase; he just reached in and pulled out a bone! He put it in that big pot of his!"

"He literally took their backbone?" Shelby asked. Kendall just shook her head.

"That wouldn't be physically possible." Kendall told her. "If he'd removed a section of their spine, at very least they wouldn't be able to walk or stand. Besides, the scans show that their bones are all where they should be."

"Then the problem is not a physical one, but a mystical enchantment." Keeper said, arriving behind them. Matt just looked to the alien, before back to Kendall.

"Am I the only one that finds it a little creepy he keeps doing that?" He asked, referring to the way he just turned up in conversations.

"You get used to it." Kendall responded. "So, it's a spell, like the wish monster."

"I believe that is the case." Keeper assured her. "If the monster is destroyed, then I am sure that their courage will return to them."

"Well, with only two Rangers we can count on, that's going to be a tall order." Shelby commented.

"Shelby, without another plan, we may not have a choice." Kendall told her. "You might have to take the boys into battle, whether they're ready or not."

Suddenly, there was a shriek from Koda's cave. The boys all ran out, Koda brandishing a club.

"MOUSE!" Tyler screamed as they ran away, all looking for somewhere to get off the floor away from the terrifying beast. It wasn't as though the lab was infested or anything, Kendall had put up as many devices as possible to keep vermin and insects from the lab, but the sad fact was, it WAS still in a cave, occasionally, they would get an unwelcome visitor. They watched as the tiny rodent came into the lab and looked around, no doubt looking for a way out of this bizarre place. Shelby just sighed.

"Yeah, because that'll be easy." She said sarcastically.

Back in the city, Ivan and his followers arrived at the football pitch. Ivan didn't really understand the rules of football, but as soon as he arrived, he could see what Derek had been talking about. Seeing the massive behemoths slamming into each other at incredible speed gave the game something of an element of jousting, only without the horses...or lances! He smiled as he saw this.

"Derek, you have indeed surpassed my expectations bringing me here!" Ivan said with an unmistakable joy in his voice. "This tourney list is a veritable goldmine of fine warriors! Why...any of these massive behemoths would be a powerful ally! Were it possible, I would take the whole lot of them!"

"Great, that's all we need." Ken whispered. "Splitting the prize money forty or more ways?"

"Unfortunately, such a large force would require means far beyond our reach to maintain." Ivan declared. "No, we must find the finest warriors that will agree to join us, perhaps one or two."

Just then, a whistle went up, and a flag was thrown onto the field. The referee ran over to a player who was lying on the ground, and another player who was standing over him. He confronted the offending player, and held up a card.

"Face masking! Five yard penalty!" He yelled, so loudly the whole field could hear him. A cheer went up from the visiting side, but the home team did not seem happy at all, least of all the player who had just been booked. He approached the referee, standing a clear chest and shoulders above him.

"What kind of call was that? He just tripped over his own big feet!" The player yelled, trying to intimidate the referee into reversing his call.

"I'm warning you, back off and line up!" The ref warned him.

"You are completely useless!" He yelled, prodding him with his fingertips. "That jersey, are you a real referee or do you just work in foot locker and PRETEND to be a referee?"

"That's it!" The ref called, blowing his whistle. He held up a red card this time. "Number 53, game misconduct, you're out of here!"

The player was absolutely livid, and threw his helmet to the ground in a fit of temper, but the ref wasn't backing down. As the home fans started chanting and singing 'Goodbye', Ivan looked to the referee.

"That man has courage beyond measure!" Ivan declared. "That other man was twice his size, and he was wearing armour. He stood his ground and forced him into retreat!"

"There, he's just going to get some water." Derek stated. "I'll go and talk to him."

Ivan then heard some music playing, and he turned to see a man, part of the marching band, playing a tuba. He was kind of dancing around, up and down the touchline, all while playing the instrument, keeping the crowd entertained while the officials tried to straighten things out to re-start the game.

"What would any retinue be without a horn player to march to?" He asked, gesturing to Ken. "Go, speak with that man, and bid him to join our quest. It will not be long before..."

Suddenly, they heard jet engines, and everyone in the arena looked skyward, seeing one of Sledge's transport pods flying overhead. Ivan's retinue, together with their two newest recruits all formed up around him.

"I am afraid our time is at an end, we must go to the field of battle." Ivan stated. He pointed to the referee. "You sir, what is your name?"

"Clive." He answered.

"And you, horn player, what is your name?" Ivan asked.

"Dwayne." He responded. Ivan just bowed.

"I would be honoured that you have agreed to join us in our quest." Ivan declared. "Now, come with me! Our time for glory is at hand!"

As he ran off in the direction of the transport pod, Ken just looked to the others.

"See, what did I tell you?" He asked. "Did you see the special effects of that space ship? With production values like that the prize has to be HUGE!"

"Uh...game abandoned!" Clive declared loudly. "The city is under attack! Game abandoned on public safety grounds!"

Nobody argued, the pitch was already emptying. Agnes gripped the throttle of her mobility scooter.

"Then what are we waiting for?" She asked. "Come on!"

Back at the Dino Lab, the alarm was starting to sound. Kendall approached the console and worked up an electronic map.

"This isn't good." Shelby said, somewhat stating the obvious. They knew better than to hope that Sledge would wait until they had time to figure out how to solve the guys' courage issue before pressing the advantage. Kendall found the energy signatures, coming to Earth just a little way from the city.

"Bones is back." She responded. "And he's brought company."

"Wait...there's Ivan." Shelby responded, seeing another energy signature.

"He's heading straight towards Bones!" Kendall stated. They didn't doubt Ivan's courage for one minute, but sometimes that would be as much of a detriment as a blessing. History was full of stories of knights marching headlong into hopeless odds just out of sheer pride and misplaced courage, and paying the inevitable price as a result. Shelby looked to her.

"I have to help him." She declared. "You and Matt see if you can do something about the guys."

"Shelby, you're outnumbered!" Matt reminded her.

"Then...work fast!" She called back as she ran from the cave, morphing as she went.


	5. True Courage

Poisandra, Curio and Bones landed a little outside of the city, preparing for their next attack. Now that they knew that four Rangers were incapacitated, too terrified to show their faces in the light of day, much less fight them, they were emboldened, knowing that now only two more Rangers stood in their way. Poisandra was positively giddy with the prospect of seeing Bones take the courage from Earth's last line of defence, and claiming the Energems. Then, Sledge would have everything he had come to collect, and she would at last be free to have the wedding she had dreamed of for over 65 million years.

"So which colour of Energem do you think I should have Wrench make into my wedding ring?" She asked the other monsters as they came to her side after concealing the transport pod. "The Pink would be flattering, but I think the Blue one might go better with the dress..."

"How about the Gold one?" Curio asked her. Poisandra just snorted.

"Gold?" She asked. "That would just blend into the ring...no, it's got to stand out! It's got to pop..."

"Poisandra?" Bones said as he pointed a little way off. "We...we have company."

Poisandra turned to see what Bones meant. Had the Rangers really found them so quickly? A little way off, in the distance, she could see Ivan, and...she had to strain her eyes to see, there was a lot more than one other person with him. As they got closer, she could see the people arranged behind Ivan, following him into battle...and none of them were the Rangers she recognised.

"What's this?" She started to giggle. "Oh, you must be joking!"

Ivan was not discouraged in the least by this show of disrespect. He had spent the day gathering his retinue, recruiting them for their courage and their strength. He stood before them, taking a deep breath.

"It is but a shame I did not have time to retrieve my colours before this battle!" He declared. Behind him, Derek leaned in towards Ken.

"Will you get those lame-ass costumes?" Derek asked.

"Just think of the cameras." Ken reminded him. Ivan drew his sword and held it aloft.

"Prepare to face the wrath of the retinue of Sir Ivan of Zandar!" He declared loudly. His 'warriors all pulled the fiercest faces they could, and stood ready. Ken gripped his stop sign tightly, while Agnes started to swing her handbag in huge circles, snarling as she did so. Derek sank to one knee and blew out a curtain of flame, aiming to make an impression on the cameras. He could almost imagine the phone calls from booking agents now. Dwayne held his Tuba up, growling aggressively, while Clive blew his whistle, preparing for what was to come.

"ONWARD!" Ivan yelled, bellowing a battle cry as he brought his sword into a guarding position. His retinue followed him, yelling as they went.

"Wait...they're not...they're not serious are they?" Curio asked Poisandra. "They actually intend to fight?"

"It appears so!" Poisandra answered. "ATTACK!"

As she yelled this, a green mist rose, and Viviks started to form out of the ether. Ivan was so far ahead that he didn't notice his 'back-up' skidding to a sudden halt behind him! They had all seen news reports, and while they didn't recognise Poisandra and Curio, who tended not to get directly involved in battles, they certainly DID recognise the viviks!

"Uh...guys...?" Dwayne started to say, backing up. "I don't think THIS IS BULLSHIT!"

The rest of them very quickly came to the same conclusion.

"He...he really wants to fight those things?" Clive gasped. Agnes slammed her mobility scooter into reverse, the warning beep catching Ivan's ears, even as he attacked the first of his opponents. He turned in time to see his retinue turning tail, screaming and running for their lives.

"Where are you going?" He yelled after them, taking down a couple more viviks with his sword.

"As far away from you as possible you mental case!" Ken screamed. "You want to get yourself killed, be my guest, but leave us out of it!"

Ivan shook his head in disbelief.

"I...I can't believe they left me!" Ivan said as he struggled against the forces he had been abandoned to face alone. "A good retinue is indeed hard to find!"

There was no time though for him to worry about the fact his hand-picked band of warriors had proven to be lacking in the courage he had given them credit for. Right now, he was outnumbered, and overpowered. Once again, he was fighting for his life!

Back at the Dino Lab, Kendall and Matt were struggling with the other Rangers. Shelby had left the lab, going to help Ivan, but given the power of the monsters facing Ivan, they knew it would be a tall order for Shelby to deal with the threat, even with Ivan's help. Matt was struggling to push Koda and Tyler towards the door, while Kendall was doing the same with Chase and Riley.

"Come ON! You have to go!" Kendall grunted as she struggled to get them to head towards the elevator. Unfortunately, they were far too strong, even with Matt's help. They managed to break free from their grip and ran back into the lab, hiding behind boulders.

"Wow...herding the pigs is easier than this." Matt commented.

"Come on guys, Shelby needs your help!" Kendall begged them.

"But it's scary out there!" Riley protested. "There are monsters out there!"

"But Shelby's your friend! How many times has she helped all of you?" Kendall asked them. "Come on, I know you're scared..."

"Those monsters look really scary, and strong!" Tyler interrupted her.

"And MEAN!" Chase added. Koda just nodded his head in agreement. Kendall just sighed.

"This is hopeless!" Kendall sighed, throwing her hands in the air. "I don't know what else I can do."

"Your fear is understandable, and not without merit." Keeper told them. "But it is artificially heightened. Sledge's monster removed a symbol of your courage, but not your courage itself."

"But...we're so scared." Riley told him. "We've never been so scared..."

"Really?" Keeper asked him. "What about the first time you faced Sledge?"

They all thought about it. They had indeed been afraid when Sledge landed before them. The very thought of seeing him again chilled all of them to the bone. However, they had fought him...albeit with little success.

"Koda, how did you feel when you helped Jimmy out of that cave?" Kendall asked the caveman. Koda couldn't answer her. He knew that the monster would come back; he knew that once he saw that Koda and the young boy had escaped, he would be coming for them. Jimmy was already injured, and in terrible danger. Koda had been terrified of the thought of having to face the monster, knowing he was responsible for Jimmy's safety. He had risked his own safety to get Jimmy out of the caves.

"Tyler, you defended Shelby, a girl you had never even met from Ice Age." Kendall reminded him. "A monster you had hidden from yourself only minutes earlier."

"There is no such thing as a person with no fear; even the boldest of hearts feels fear." Keeper said as he stood before the Rangers. "The mark of true courage is not the absence of fear, but being able to act, even in the presence of fear. You have all faced deadly opponents, for the good of the planet, and for the safety of others, even when you were scared."

He looked to the Rangers, who now, more than afraid, seemed to almost be feeling shame, shame that they had allowed Shelby to go on ahead without them.

"Is there no battle you would not face for your friends?" He asked them. "Or for those you love?"

Tyler was the first to his feet. He took a deep breath.

"Keeper's right, it doesn't matter how scared we are." Tyler declared as he tried to steady himself. Every instinct was telling him to find the deepest cave he could find and block up the entrance, but the thought of Shelby out there alone, facing the monsters without them...he was scared of what could happen to him, but he was even more terrified of what could happen to her if she didn't have the back-up she needed. He'd never be able to forgive himself if he did nothing to help her. "We can't let Shelby do this alone."

The Rangers didn't look especially confident as they went, but after being encouraged to think beyond themselves and their safety, and instead about their concern for others, they were at last able to carry themselves into battle.

"Keeper, one of these days you're going to have to tell me how you do that." Kendall stated. However, as she turned back, the alien had disappeared. Matt just whistled.

"Wow, you weren't kidding about him." He commented.

"We can track the battle over here." She told him, gesturing to a console.

Back at the site of the battle, Ivan was beginning to struggle under overwhelming odds. Viviks were crawling all over him, and he had been forced to morph, but even with his powers, he was quickly buried under a tide of enemies. Any time he took one down, two more were clawing and clutching at him, trying to drag him down.

"Begone vile creatures!" Ivan snarled as he swung his Ptera Sabre, cutting a few of the down. He was scattered onto the ground by a harsh power blast, sending hi skidding across the gravel. Ivan quickly regained his feet, turning to face Bones. "You speak of courage, and yet you hide behind these brainless beasts! Fight me like a man!"

"I just brought back-up like you!" Bones taunted him. "The only difference is, my back-up stuck around!"

"Then I guess it's time for reinforcements!" Shelby called out as she slammed a flying kick into Bones' chest, before rushing into the midst of the viviks. "Unleash the Power!"

Morphing in a blinding flash, she quickly summoned up her weapons, and joined Ivan in the fray, hacking down viviks as they attacked him from all sides. She took up position, standing back-to-back with him.

"I...I did not join..."

"Right now it doesn't matter that you didn't join us!" Shelby told him, blasting down some viviks. "You need help, and we help people. That's all that matters!"

"I doubted your courage. I believed I could find a better retinue myself." Ivan told her, hacking down some more.

"Oh yeah? How did that work out for you?" Shelby asked him.

"It was easier in my day." Ivan conceded, shooting down a vivik as it leapt through the air towards him. "I could recruit a free company for the price of a round in the local tavern."

"Well you have back-up now!" Shelby told him.

"And what of YOUR back-up?" He asked.

"I have faith in them!" Shelby responded. "I'm sure they're on their way!"

At that moment, Tyler led the others on a frantic dash through the city, heading for the battle site. Every one of them was still terrified, but right now, all they could think about was Shelby and Ivan standing against Bones, who had already proven himself to be a powerful opponent, even when they did have their courage. Riley yelped in fear as a dog barked at him, but carried on along his path.

"Come on guys, we need to hurry!" Tyler told them. "If we don't get there soon, they could be done for!"

"Come on Shelby, hold on, just a little longer." Chase willed her, running out onto a road. He didn't even notice a car starting to cross a light, and barely braking in time. He instinctively just put a hand on the hood, leaping clear, barely breaking pace, even as the driver leant out the window, shaking his fist and swearing loudly at him.

"There's usually a crossing guard here." Tyler commented. "Where is he?"

"There crossing guard!" Koda replied. The Rangers all looked up to see the rather unusual sight of a group running the opposite direction. Tyler just ducked aside as Agnes almost ran him over, gunning the engine on her mobility scooter for all it was worth.

"Out of the way!" She screamed, flying down the street as quickly as she could. Ken, Dwayne and Clive were all very close behind her. Derek tripped over a trailing handkerchief, part of a chain of them that was hanging out of his sleeve and hit the ground in front of Tyler. Playing cards and flowers all flew out of his jacket, littering the street. Riley helped him up.

"What happened?" Riley asked. "What are you running from?"

"Monsters!" He rushed out. "That idiot took us to fight real monsters!"

"Someone took you to fight monsters?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, some guy named Ivan." He told them. "We thought it was a TV show, we didn't realise he wanted to fight REAL monsters! That guy's a freaking lunatic!"

With that, he broke free of Riley's grasp and carried on running, props from his show falling from his jacket as he went. They all watched him go, a little confused by this.

"I'm sure there's a really entertaining story there." Chase commented. "But at least we know we're heading the right way!"

"Come on!" Tyler beckoned them. As they went, none of them noticed a bright light starting to glow within their chests.

Back at the site of the battle, even with Shelby's help, the tide was beginning to turn. More and more viviks were turning up. Poisandra watched the battle, seeing that the two Rangers were close to defeat. It was only a matter of time before fatigue and greater numbers overtook them. Poisandra was beginning to become impatient though, and wanted to see them cower at her feet. She just sighed and shook her head.

"If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." She grumbled. She let out a little cough and started to hum to tune up. Curio knew what was coming and covered his ears. "Do Re Me So La Te...DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"

As she sang, a huge energy wave flew from her, churning up the earth, heading straight for the battle. It completely obliterated nearly half of the remaining viviks, but sent Ivan and Shelby to the ground. Before they could recover, they were grabbed by dozens of the creatures and held fast.

"Unhand us at once!" Ivan roared trying to break free, but their grip was far too strong. They were forced to their knees before Bones, who was just starting to get his bearings.

"A little warning would be appreciated!" He complained, trying to clear the cob webs from Poisandra's attack. He started to approach them, his hand glowing ominously. "Even the bravest of Rangers is nothing without their courage!"

"You won't get away with this!" Shelby screamed. "Our friends..."

"Your friends are cowering in the deepest, darkest hole they can find!" He laughed. "Presuming they aren't too scared of the dark!"

As he approached though, he heard a rattling coming from the pot at his side. He looked to it, seeing that it was glowing...and also moving! It rocked wildly as it jarred from impacts from the inside.

"What's going on?" Poisandra asked.

"I...I don't know!" Bones stammered.

"Hurry up and get their back bones!" Poisandra yelled at him. Bones though was far too worried about the fact his jar was pulling him this way and that. Eventually, he was thrown aside as it exploded, the backbones inside shattering it, and flying into the air. He looked to the pieces of the jar littering the floor.

"My...my bones!" He rushed out. He looked up in time to see the other four Rangers arriving. Their back bones flew back into them, just as they stood before him. "How...how did you...?"

"For someone who spends his time stealing courage, you don't know much about it do you?" Tyler asked him.

"Courage isn't the absence of fear; it's doing the right thing, even when you ARE afraid!" Riley added.

"You hurt our friends! We fight you, even if we are scared!" Koda growled.

"And THAT is REAL courage!" Chase concluded. "As long as we keep fighting, even when we are scared, stealing our courage is impossible!"

"The only question is, can you say the same about YOUR friends?" Tyler asked. Almost in answer, they heard some jet engines, and Bones turned in time to see the transport pod flying away. "I guess not!"

"I don't need to take your courage to destroy you!" Bones replied, regaining his feet.

"Come on guys." Chase stated. "Let's break some bones."

"UNLEASH THE POWER!" They chorused as they all activated their morphers.


	6. Ivan's Loyalty

The battle continued to rage on, but with the Rangers now at their side, the tide had finally turned in their favour. Ivan and Shelby were grateful they no longer had to face the enemy by themselves. They had just recovered enough to get back to their feet by the time the guys were finishing off the last of the Viviks. Without Poisandra to summon more, as they fell, they left the way clear to Bones.

"Thank you Rangers." Ivan said gratefully as he stood with them. "Perhaps I shouldn't have doubted your courage."

"No worries mate." Chase responded cheerfully. "Now how about you rest up and let us show you what the Rangers are really made of?"

Ivan was reluctant to let them proceed. It was his fight, and as far as he was concerned, for saving him and Shelby, they had already proven themselves to him. However, seeing them stand before Shelby and himself, he got the feeling it was more for themselves than him. Even though it was under a spell, they had let Shelby go into battle alone. They felt like they needed to make amends.

"I would appreciate a rest." Ivan stated. "Come, Shelby. Let us allow your friends to finish off this ruffian."

Koda was the first to reach Bones, and locked with him in a test of strength. Bones, despite having no muscles, was surprisingly strong though. As Koda was being forced onto the back foot, a thought suddenly came to him, he switched his balance suddenly, hooking Bones' arm into himself, bringing him down in a huge arm-drag. As he got back up, Koda caught him with a massive drop kick.

"Thanks for the opening!" Chase called out to Koda as he sprung off the Blue Ranger's shoulders, powering up his Dino Blaster, hitting him with numerous blasts that sent him flying. Riley was next up, slamming a Dino Charger into his Dino Sabre.

"Lets' see how you handle THIS!" Riley called out, ducking and weaving through Bones' clumsy attacks, carving an intricate pattern with his blade. Each strike unleashed massive energy into the creature, causing huge damage to his exposed ribcage. "Go for it Tyler!"

The Red Ranger powered up his Tyrano Smasher, and leapt forward, smashing into Bones' ribcage, right where Riley had been softening him up. The chest caved inward, but as Tyler recovered from the attack, he could see Bones still getting back to his feet.

"Damn it, I was sure that would be enough." Tyler commented. Ivan returned to his side, putting a hand on Tyler's shoulder.

"I often found a retinue was far better at full strength than splitting up." Ivan told him as Shelby came to his other side. "What do you say we send this creature to the grave?"

"I like the sound of that." Tyler told him as they powered up into Dino Steel Mode. "Dino Spike, Activate!"

Ivan slammed three Dino Chargers into his Sabre, stepping forward into the attack.

"Lightning STRIKE!" He called out, hitting Bones with as much power as he could muster. This held him firmly in place, screaming in agony as Tyler was launched into the air by his friends.

"Dino Spike, Final STRIKE!" Tyler roared as he threw the weapon, hitting Bones, going straight through his chest. A moment later, he exploded, heralding his end.

"That was most impressive, I would have been lucky to fight alongside warriors such as you." Ivan declared. "I judged you all too quickly, and without the necessary facts. Shelby showed me that. If the offer is still open..."

"Hey, there's always room for another Ranger." Tyler assured him, just as a Magna Beam came down, hitting the ground. "We can discuss the rest later though, right now, it's time for the big guns."

Back at the Dino Lab, Kendall and Matt were keeping track of the battle. It was the first time Matt had seen a Ranger battle in its entirety. Occasionally some news footage or some amateur footage shot on a cell phone would surface, but due to most fleeing the area, full battles were almost non-existent.

"They're...they're incredible." Matt said, sounding impressed as he watched Bones explode under their combined attack.

"They've been at this for a while now." Kendall reminded him. "They are getting pretty good at it."

"I'll say." Matt added. "Riley was great at the tournament, if he went back with moves like this, he'd sweep the boards for sure!"

"He really is an incredible young man." Kendall agreed.

"There is one thing though." Matt said, thinking about it. "Ivan's over 800 years old, Koda's...well...he's a lot older..."

"Oh." Kendall stated as she realised that now there were two Rangers who had lived well beyond a natural life span that Matt had to have figured out something was amiss. Matt had not made the connection with Koda, likely he believed that being frozen had been what kept him preserved for so long, but with Ivan around, she could see he was starting to suspect there was something else at work. "It's...um...a side-effect of the Energems. You know the Rangers all heal really fast right?"

"It's one of the things I'm happiest about in this whole deal." Matt answered.

"Well, the thing is, that's not the only 'fringe benefit'." Kendall told him. "No one bonded to an Energem will age while they're bonded to it."

"They don't age?" Matt asked. "Riley won't age?"

"Please, don't tell him I told you!" Kendall rushed out. "Please, I promise you, I'm working on trying to stave off that effect. If worst comes to worst, Keeper ASSURES me he can sever the bond with the Energem, but I'm hoping that I can stave off that effect while allowing Riley to keep the rest of his powers."

"So, in about a month's time when he's meant to turn 17?" Matt asked. Kendall just sighed.

"Please, I promised I'd take care of Riley, and that's a promise I take seriously." Kendall told him. Matt just came closer to her, seeing that this was indeed upsetting her. Riley had been upset when he found out that he wouldn't age at first. While the other Rangers were adults, and so the prospect of not aging was quite an appealing one for them, for Riley, who still had some growing to do, it wasn't such a great prospect. "I just need time to understand how the Energems work."

He grabbed Kendall, pulling her in, hugging her tightly.

"I trusted you with my brother. I still do." He told her, parting from her a little way. They both missed the end of the battle as Bones exploded on screen for a second time. They just weren't paying attention. Matt cradled Kendall's chin with his hand, pulling in and kissing her softly.

"Ms Morgan, set an extra place at the table, we're bringing home a new Ranger!" Tyler declared. However, he didn't get an answer. "Ms Morgan, is everything OK? Ms Morgan...?"

It was a little while later by the time the Rangers got back to the museum. Kendall had taken the liberty of ensuring there were drinks ready by the time they arrived. Matt and Kendall were waiting for them. They flanked their new arrival, bringing him into the cafe as he looked around at the decor.

"Well, we never had eating establishments like this in my time." Ivan declared as he sat down. "This is certainly...interesting."

"I'm sure you're going to love it here." Tyler assured him. "I know I do."

"We can give you the full tour and explain everything later." Riley answered. "But in the meantime, could you...could you tell us exactly what happened to you?"

"You wish to hear my tale?" Ivan asked. "I would gladly tell you, but in truth I am rather hungry..."

"I get food." Koda told him, getting up and heading for the counter. Ivan just looked to the others, who were all looking toward him with baited breath.

"I thought you knew...?"

"We've only heard accounts written after the event." Kendall told him. "Prince Collin was found unconscious; he didn't see most of what happened. We'd really love to hear it from someone who was actually there."

"Well, I am no bard, but I will do my best." Ivan told them, preparing to begin his story. "It was when I was escorting the young Prince Collin on a diplomatic mission to a neighbouring fiefdom. It was a day like so many before, and none that would follow..."

Koda got to the counter, placing his order with the waitress, when he felt a tap on the shoulder. He looked around to see Carl, Jack and Alessandra standing behind him.

"Carl, what you doing here?" Koda asked his coach with a smile.

"We were in the area canvassing the place with flyers for the show on Friday." Carl told him.

"You putting on show Friday?" Koda asked.

"Yeah, it's just the theatre down the street there." Carl told him, handing him a flyer.

"Would love to go." Koda told them. "But...not enough practice yet."

"Hey, there's no reason you should miss out, everyone has to earn their dues in this business." Carl told him. "How would you like to work the ring crew?"

"Ring crew?" Koda asked.

"You don't think the ring sets itself up do you?" He chuckled. "You'll help unload the van and set up the ring, then I'll get you to do some security work."

"I would love to!" Koda told him. "When I be there?"

"The van will arrive at the theatre about 4PM." Jack told Koda. "If you go to the back entrance around then, the rest of the crew will let you know what they need you to do."

"I be there!" Koda said excitedly. "My friends here, you join us?"

"We'd love to, but we've got a ton more of these to shift." Carl told him. "I'll see you at training tomorrow though right?"

"You try and stop me!" Koda said as he gathered up his order, and headed back for the table. The others were all leaning in, enthralled by Ivan's story telling.

"...I struggled mightily, but he was much too strong." Ivan told them as he carried on with his story. "And so he took me into his dark and evil body, where...Ooh, what's that?"

He was interrupted as Koda put down a massive burger right before him. He was completely oblivious to the disappointment in the faces of the others as he interrupted the tale.

"Bronto Burger." Koda told him, gesturing to him to eat it. Ivan picked the massive creation up, and took a huge bite. He had never tasted anything like it. He let out a contented mumble as he put the burger down. "You want fries?"

"Mhmmm." Ivan responded, getting up to go and get the rest of the order with Koda. The others just looked utterly distraught at the thought that he wouldn't finish his story.

"Wait!" Tyler called out. "How does it end?"

"Please, tell us!" Shelby pleaded with him as he was about to leave. Ivan just grinned brightly.

"Oh, you know, 800 years of darkness, then you came along, I broke free and here we are!" He summarised before patting Koda on the shoulder. "Come, show me what other delights your kitchen staff prepare."

"That...that's how he ends the story?" Chase asked, his face expressing how he felt at the less-than-satisfying end to the epic tale.

"I guess we now know why most knights used minstrels to spread their tales." Kendall remarked.

"I guess I should start looking for a hotel room." Matt suggested. "I mean, there's not much point in going home only to come back tomorrow to help with the preparations for the weekend."

"Never mind a hotel, why don't you stay with us?" Riley asked.

"Riley, we DO have an extra guest as it is." Tyler reminded him. Riley hadn't thought about that. The apartment wasn't exactly huge with three guys in it, and they were likely going to have to get a sofa bed to accommodate Ivan.

"I...guess you're right." Riley said, trying to think of something. "Say, Ms Morgan, is it alright if Matt stays with you?"

"Excuse me?" Kendall asked, looking a little stunned. She was looking to Matt, wondering how exactly she was going to respond to that.

"Yeah Ms Morgan, why can't Matt stay at your place?" Tyler teased her. Kendall gave him a death glare, making a mental note to make him pay for that later.

"Come on Ms Morgan, you have that big place all to yourself." Riley stated. "I'm sure Matt doesn't mind the sofa."

"THE SOFA!" Kendall responded, eternally grateful that Riley had given her the get-out clause to that situation. She couldn't believe it hadn't occurred to her to think of that. Riley's original suggestion that Matt stay with her had caught her off-guard. "Um...I guess...if you don't mind the couch..."

"I suppose it beats spending the rest of the night looking for a hotel room." Matt answered. "So, what's the plan for the weekend?"

"Well, I have to go to Toys 'R' Us to pick up a huge delivery for the Fossil Fun Day." Kendall told them. "And I've got the moulds in, so I'll have a fun day making plaster bones for the kids to dig up."

"Wow, it sounds like you'll have your hands pretty full." Tyler commented. "You don't need to worry Ms Morgan, you can count on us."

"Yeah, we can take care of the museum." Chase assured her.

"Thanks, that really means a lot." Kendall answered. "When Anton told me about this whole thing, I didn't know how he expected me to put it all together."

"Whatever you need us to do, you just need to ask." Chase assured her, just as his cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID, seeing that it was Allison. "In the mean time, sorry to love you and leave you, but there's a certain Aussie that really wants to see me."

As Chase left, Ivan came back with Koda, carrying a large tray full of food. It looked like he had ordered practically everything on the menu. He sat with the rest of the group, taking a couple of fries.

"So you are telling me that these are actually made from potatoes?" He asked. Tyler just nodded.

"And believe it or not, these things were actually apples...you know...at one time." Tyler said, showing him the apple pie. Ivan took a swig of his soda, and looked to it a little disappointed.

"I must admit, I would prefer some wine, or perhaps a good strong ale." He stated.

"I'm afraid we don't have a licence to sell alcohol here." Shelby told him. He just looked to the soda.

"Then I suppose this will do for now." He responded, before looking to the Rangers. "And I meant what I said, now I have pledged my fealty, you will always be able to rely on my sword in battle."

"And you can always rely on us." Tyler assured him.

"So I have seen, you are indeed impressive." Ivan complimented them, before looking to Riley. "In particular, your swordsmanship is extraordinary."

"Thanks, I do try." Riley answered. "I've practiced a lot, but I..."

"Would you be willing to receive further instruction?" Ivan asked him. Riley just nodded.

"Of course!" He said. Ivan just smiled.

"Well, just as my retinue is no longer around, I imagine my old squire has passed many centuries ago." He replied. "Would you be willing to become my squire?"

"His squire?" Shelby asked, looking a little shocked. "Look, we all..."

"I'd LOVE that!" Riley rushed out. Ivan looked to him.

"You are aware that there are responsibilities that go with it." He continued. "I would require you to follow my instruction, to conduct yourself in a manner that would not bring disrepute to my name, and to be prepared to second me in conflict. Are you willing to do that Riley?"

"Yes, of course!" Riley gushed, unable to contain his excitement. Ivan seized his hand and shook it firmly.

"The honour is mine!" Ivan told him. Shelby just got up, walking away, shaking her head in disbelief.

Meanwhile, far from Amber Beach, a man was sitting in a large, easy chair reading a newspaper. He had his feet up on a table, and a large soda sitting on a table beside him.

"You know, that furniture is meant to be for customers, not people that work here." He heard a voice saying. The man just sighed.

"I'm on a break." He responded. The manager just looked to him.

"Your break ended ten minutes ago." The manager reminded him. "That's usually not your style; I would expect it from..."

He was interrupted as the man folded the paper and threw it down. He saw the article that had interested him so much. The manager picked up the news paper and read the article. It was one of the filler pieces buried deep within the paper, the kind of stories just there to use up spare column inches. Most of those stories were poorly researched, if they were at all, since no one ever really expected anyone to actually read them.

"Well, it's not exactly Bigfoot." He commented as he read it. "Some man was arrested...and claimed to be a knight?"

"Sir Ivan of Zandar." The employee stated, telling him the part that interested him. "He was a legendary warrior, one that disappeared 800 years ago."

"So this guy heard the story..."

"It's not the kind of story most people just pick up in the average library." The employee told him. He got up, and grabbed a coat from the coat rack.

"Wait, where do you think you're going?" The manager asked.

"I need a couple of personal days." He responded as he headed for the door. The manager just threw his hands up in the air.

"Well, that's great, thanks for the notice!" He grumbled. "I thought I was done with this crap years ago!"

The employee though was far too busy fetching out his cell phone. He hit the speed-dial, calling up one of his friends.

"It's me." He stated. "Get a bag together; I'm heading for Amber Beach. I'm going to need a second."

"A second?" The man on the other end asked. "And who exactly are you intending to duel?"

"Sir Ivan of Zandar." He answered. "I'll pick you up in twenty minutes."


	7. Fun With Plaster

The following day, Kendall was up early. She had a lot to do to set up for Fossil Fun Day at the weekend.

She'd have loved to say that she had left it all so late purely because they had been so busy with Sledge and his forces lately. Within the last couple of weeks alone, they had barely a single day to themselves. They had managed to get involved in an international incident when the Prince of Zandar took offence to them impersonating him, they had found a new Energem, and even recruited a new Ranger. However, that wasn't the only reason she had been putting off the preparations for Fossil Fun Day.

She understood the point of community outreach programmes, and she understood the publicity the museum got from events like the Fossil Fun Day. It was something Anton had set up when he first opened the museum. Every year, the museum would have a day where they would set up activities designed to get kids interested in palaeontology. The concept was relatively simple, so simple it seemed almost ridiculous to Kendall. They would cordon off an area in the museum grounds, where they would have a sand pit set up, in which they would bury a bunch of plaster "fossils" for the kids to dig up. They would serve food, and drink, all for free of course.

Kendall never really understood that part. While she knew Anton was keen on getting young people interested in the field, she never really got why he would run an event every year that took a couple of thousand at least out of the museum's budget, and saw no real return. Sure, kids loved it, but the kids that came; it was mainly aimed at kids under ten. Many of them were still in kindergarten from what she had seen of previous years' pictures. Most of these kids would have the attention span of a gnat. It seemed unlikely that any of them would take one day of pretending to dig up dinosaurs, a job Kendall had trained for years to do, and suddenly decide that was their life's work. After all, she could remember a time in her past at that age when she insisted her life's ambition was to become an astronaut.

She put on the coffee maker, yawning loudly as she went to get a mug out of the cupboard. She didn't even notice as Matt came into the room behind her.

"Now that smells good." He greeted her. Kendall jumped in fright, dropping her mug on the floor where it shattered. She held her chest as she turned to see him. "Oh...sorry..."

"No, its fine, I just...forgot you were here, that's all." Kendall told him. "I don't really do too well without my eight hours."

"Eight hours?" He chuckled. "You like long lies don't you? I can't remember the last time I got eight hours. The cockerel is one heck of an alarm clock."

"When guns are that readily available out there, I wouldn't find it a problem for long." Kendall answered as she got a dustpan and shovel and started to clear up the mug.

"Wow...you really take your sleep seriously." Matt chuckled as he took the dustpan from her. "I really hope this wasn't a special mug or anything."

"Not really." Kendall answered with a shrug. "You know that old t-shirt, my parents took me to Disney World and all I got was this lousy t-shirt?"

"Yeah?" Matt asked.

"Well, that's pretty much the story of this mug." She told him, emptying it into a trash can. "I spent a couple of months as a grad student. I worked hard with him co-writing a research paper..."

"That sounds pretty good." Matt replied.

"Well, it would be...except he 'neglected' to put my name on the paper that we, and by which I mean I, wrote almost single handed." Kendall said, closing the lid on the trash can. "He gave me an important lesson and a crappy souvenir mug with his picture on it."

"Well, in that case I guess I'm glad I caused you to break it." Matt answered as the coffee machine clicked off. "He sounds like a colossal jackass."

"Why do you think I've stuck with Anton all these years?" She asked him as she got a couple of mugs and started pouring. "At least he gives me the credit for my own work. How do you take it?"

"Milk and two." He told her. Kendall went to the fridge, getting out the milk. "So, what's the plan for the day?"

"Tyler's kindly agreed to get the delivery from Toys 'R' Us." Kendall responded. "So that just leaves a few dozen plaster bones to mould."

"That sounds like fun." Matt answered with a smile.

"I really hope you brought some clothes you don't mind getting messed up." Kendall sighed as she handed him his cup. He just raised an eyebrow.

"You have visited the farm right?" He asked her. "I really don't mind getting my hands dirty."

"I'm really glad you're here to help." Kendall told him, taking a sip of her coffee. "I really wasn't looking forward to moulding all these by myself."

"Well, what kind of gentleman would I be if I left you to do that all by yourself?" He asked her, drawing in closer. They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Ms Morgan!" Riley called through the door. "We're just heading out to the toy store now!"

"OK Riley, that's good to know." Kendall answered. "You have the list to check the delivery?"

"Its fine Ms Morgan, we'll handle it." Riley assured her. "Would you like us to bring anything on our way to the museum?"

"No, just the delivery should be fine." Kendall told him. "I'll see you there."

"OK then, see you." Riley answered, before heading out with the others. Kendall turned, looking to Matt, who was sitting, drinking his coffee.

"So...um...good coffee huh?" He asked.

"Yes, it's good coffee." She replied, continuing with her own coffee. Looking to Matt as he started to look around for something to eat, she wondered about the wisdom of living so close to the rest of her team.

Over at the gym, Koda was working out with some of the other trainee wrestlers, while some of the veterans were getting ready for the show that night. Koda hit the mat, having been on the receiving end of a clothesline from one of the others. He accepted a hand, helping him up.

"I heard you're on the ring crew tonight." He stated. Koda just smiled and nodded.

"Carl tell me about show." Koda answered. "Very excited."

"I'll bet you are, have you seen the roster?" Another trainee asked. "The Killer Koallition, Rocket Andrews, Chris Sabin...there are tons of great acts showing up, and we get a front row seat!"

"Not sitting." Koda responded. "Working security..."

"OK, not exactly what we meant dude." He chuckled. Koda looked over to the veterans, and saw that there was one who was noticeably absent.

"Where Jack?" He asked. Another of the trainees just shrugged.

"Damned if I know." He responded. "He usually likes to get ready by himself. He normally just turns up about an hour before the show."

"Usually he doesn't even talk to anyone." Another said. "I think it's an old-school thing."

"Hey, is this a knitting circle?" Carl called over to them. "You can chat on your own time!"

"Sorry Carl." One of them replied. As they went back to practicing their drills, Koda looked over to where Carl was taking a phone call. He looked to be more than a little agitated.

"You're kidding right?" He asked. "What do you mean he's out?"

He listened to the voice on the other end.

"He was arrested?" He asked. "What kind of MORON gets caught smoking a spliff trying to cross the border?"

There was some more talking on the other end. Carl just sighed.

"Alright, then I guess half of the Killer Koallition has to do." He grumbled. "Alessandra! We're changing up your match!"

She just looked a little surprised to hear this. She started gesturing to one of the others, the guy she was meant to have a match with. Carl just held up his hands.

"Look, I know you were planning on having a match with Vinnie, but we've already paid for this guy. You're the only singles wrestler we have that's ready for a match like this." He begged her. Alessandra didn't look at all convinced. "Look, just...do this for me. If you do this, I promise, you'll get to pick your next three matches."

She just nodded and went back to her workout. Koda decided to go back to his workout, but what he had heard did sound pretty good. By the sounds of it, Alessandra had been matched up with one of the headline acts. As he went back to his own exercises, he found himself looking forward to the show more than ever.

Back at the Dino Lab, Kendall and Matt had just finished up the equipment they would need to cast all the plaster bones they would need for the Fossil Fun day the next day. Seeing the massive buckets of plaster and all the moulds arrayed before them, the enormity of the task finally hit Kendall. She had been putting this off as long as possible, but seeing this, she finally realised she might have just left it more than a little too late.

She had brought an old pair of sweat pants, and a deep purple t-shirt she hardly ever wore. Even being careful, she knew it was likely to be a messy task, and had already lined a large area of the lab with sheet plastic to keep the worst of it under control. She was just staring at the massive amount of equipment before her and just sighed.

"Well done Kendall, this is the price of procrastination." She muttered to herself as she re-set her glasses. "Matt, are you nearly...?"

Her words tailed off as he came out of Koda's cave, having changed into an old pair of jeans, and a sleeveless, grey t-shirt. Kendall already knew he was pretty well built as a result of his years of hard work on the farm, but this was the first time she had seen...well...so much of it.

"Yeah, I'm ready." He replied. He noticed Kendall staring. "What?"

"Oh, I was just thinking..." She started to tail off. "This is the first time I've seen...uh...you without your hat. I was beginning to think that thing was nailed on."

"I have had it a while." He chuckled. "Alright, what do we need to do?"

"Well, um...these moulds here are all vertebrae." She told him. "These long ones here are ribs, we'll get started on these first, before we work on the unique ones like the legs and the tail."

"What about the skull?" He asked.

"I think that would be a bit morbid for a kids' event." She told him. "Besides, the kids get to keep these. How happy do you think some parents would be if their kid couldn't sleep because he had a stegosaurus skull sitting on his night stand staring at him all night?"

"Fair point I suppose." He answered.

"Alright, the moulds are sealed, so all we need to do is..."

"I've poured cement before." He interrupted Kendall. "I can't imagine it's too much different."

"I hope not." She answered. "I have to admit, it's been a while since I've done this."

"You've done stuff like this before?" He asked her. She just nodded.

"I spent a lot of time taking plaster moulds of fossils." She informed him as she took a bucket and started to fill one of the rib moulds. Matt took a bucket and started to work on some vertebrae. "I swear I must have built a couple of hundred whole dinosaurs if I add up all the castings I've taken."

"I guess it's just as well you're an expert, seeing how much we have to do here." He responded. "I guess there are worse ways to spend a day."

Kendall caught a little glance of Matt bending over a table to fill some more moulds and was momentarily distracted.

"Definitely." She said, before realising she was missing the mould completely and had just poured some of the plaster over herself. She quickly stopped and started to hurriedly wipe off as much as she could before she carried on with her task.

Over at Toys 'R' Us, Riley and Tyler were waiting by the collection desk. Chase had disappeared into the store to take a look around. He had said something about looking for something for Allison.

"Where the hell did Chase get to?" Riley asked. "I swear, we should get one of those parent leashes for him."

"Riley, would you rather have Chase happy, or Chase bored?" Tyler asked. Riley just shrugged as he conceded this point. A moment later, a woman came to the collection desk, carrying a large box.

"Alright, here we go, one hundred plastic shovels and one hundred children's safari hats." The attendant said, setting down the box. "Could you just sign here for the delivery please?"

Tyler signed for the delivery, at which he and Riley each took an end of the box and headed for the door. They loaded it into the back of Tyler's jeep, securing a tarp over it to hold it all down into the back.

"Alright, so we have the shovels and the hats." Riley stated. "Now all we need to do is stop at the hardware store for the sifters."

"Once we find Chase of course." Tyler told him. "I'm starting to think you might have a point with that parent leash."

"Hey guys, check it out!" Chase called out as he joined them. "I just found THE perfect gift for Allison..."

"Look, you can show it to us later." Tyler interrupted him. "We really need to get to the hardware store."

"Why the hurry?" Chase asked. "We have at least an hour until..."

"The thing is, I went shopping with Shelby last night." He told them. "I figured after...you know...chickening out on her and Ivan, I needed to make it up to her."

"You know she doesn't blame us for that right?" Riley asked him.

"Well, yeah...but I still feel a little guilty." Tyler told them.

"So what did you get her?" Riley asked.

"That's the thing; she's so hard to get anything for." Tyler replied. "I took her to the book store, but she already had everything they had on dinosaurs."

"So you want to go back now?" Riley asked. "We only have an hour..."

"No, I know it'll take longer than that to find something Shelby would like." He told them. "But I saw this really cool coat in the store next door."

"You want to buy a coat?" Chase asked him.

"It was a really cool coat!" Tyler protested. "I don't want to risk them selling it before I can get it, and the store's right next door to the hardware store."

"Alright, let's go." Riley answered, finishing securing the tarpaulin. "We've got a museum to run."

"And I still have to think of something to get Shelby." Tyler reminded them.

"Well, it could be worse." Chase remarked. "Ms Morgan's spending all day making plaster bones. Can you think of anything more boring than that?"

Back at the Dino Lab, Kendall brought the first of the bones out of the kiln, inspecting the work. She tapped them to ensure they were solid, before getting a wrench and taking one of the moulds. She started to loosen it off, hoping she had gotten the timings right, while Matt continued to fill moulds a little way off.

She quickly whispered something under her breath, hoping and willing it to work. She cracked open the mould, and pulled it apart. She smiled as she saw that it had indeed worked out, pulling it out and inspecting it.

"Wow, now that looks good." He complimented her. "You know...and the bone doesn't look bad either."

Kendall smiled hearing this. She placed the finished piece aside.

"All we need to do is grind off the mould lines with a multi-tool and coat them in resin to protect them." She informed him. "Which we'll do once we've finished with the rest of them of course."

"Of course." He responded, patting her on the shoulder. He pulled his hand back, looking a little apologetic as he realised there was some errant plaster on his hand. Kendall just looked to him as he pulled away. "I'm...I'm sorry, I just..."

"Hey, don't worry, it's a messy job." She told him, coming in closer. He started to put his arms around her, but at the last moment, she slapped her hands into his chest, splattering some plaster into his shirt. She chuckled as she parted from him. "See what I mean?"

"Oh, you're going to pay for that!" He laughed as he went to a bucket and took some more plaster, and threw it at her. Kendall started laughing as well as she followed suit, and a full-on plaster war started to take place.

Matt grabbed Kendall and brought her down to the floor, before taking some plaster on his fingers. He just looked Kendall in the eyes.

"Oh, don't you even dare!" She warned him, but it was too late. He smeared some of it across her cheek as she protested in a half-hearted way, laughing the whole time. It only took a moment for the laughter to subside as they looked into each other's eyes, before Matt drew in close, and they kissed. They didn't notice as Shelby came into the lab.

"Ms Morgan, I have a group here with some coupons for a free tour, but they expired yesterday." Shelby said as she came in. "It's a kindergarten, so I was wondering if we could look the other way this..."

She saw the scene before her and her words tailed off.

"...once?" She concluded. "OK, not a good time...you know what? Judgement call, I'll just...yeah."

With that, she walked away. Kendall and Matt parted, and Kendall just looked to him.

"Did you just hear something?" She asked him. He shook his head.

"I'm sure it was nothing important." He replied, before pulling her in once more.


	8. Before the Fun

It was just coming to the lunch rush, and Riley, Chase and Tyler had finally finished putting the supplies for Fossil Fun Day into storage. Shelby was glad to see them back. While the morning was quiet, there had already been a lot of questions about the event the following day.

"Well, hallelujah, the conquering heroes return!" She said sarcastically. "It's so nice of you to show up."

"Sorry, it took us a while to find gas bottles for the outdoor grills." Riley told her. "We needed to go to three different stores..."

"Well at least SOME of you are gentlemen." Shelby stated, gesturing to Ivan as he returned.

"I have taken the refuse as I promised my lady." Ivan told her. She just smiled at him.

"Thank you Ivan." She answered, looking to the others, before getting back to work. Tyler just looked to the others.

"Guys, I TOLD you we shouldn't have stopped for that drive-thru." He whispered as Ivan approached them. He looked to them.

"Well, if I can be of no further assistance here..."

"Uh...where do you think you're going?" Riley asked. "The lunch rush is just about to start."

"It is." Ivan responded. "Then you would do well to prepare for it."

"Ivan, you work here too." Chase told him. Ivan's smile slipped as he heard this, and he suddenly looked a lot more serious.

"You jest surely." He said as they stared at him.

"Not really." Tyler responded. Ivan just looked nonplussed by this assertion.

"I am a Knight of Zandar." He put down flatly. "You appear to have me confused with a serving wench."

"Ivan, we all work here!" Chase explained. "We help Kendall keep the museum running, and she deals with our accommodation and all the Ranger tech. That's how it works!"

"I must speak with Ms Morgan regarding this matter." Ivan responded, turning and walking away. Tyler just threw up his arms.

"So much for helping." Tyler said, his frustration obvious. "Can you believe that?"

"He really isn't used to work like this." Riley reminded them. "He was basically a bodyguard...maybe we could get him to do security work?"

"Riley, we don't get to pick and choose what we do in here." Chase stated. "Why should the new guy get a pass?"

"I'm just thinking, maybe it'll make things a little easier in here if he does something closer to what he's used to." He suggested. Tyler just shook his head in disbelief.

"I'd just love to be a fly on the wall when he talks to Ms Morgan about this." He replied. "You just know she's going to have something to say about this."

Down in the lab, Kendall and Matt were taking a break to have some lunch while most of the bones dried. It was messy work, and it was only made messier when they'd had an impromptu plaster fight. Matt just looked to his burger as he leaned back in his chair.

"I have to say, I know why Koda loves these things so much." He said, taking a sip of his drink to wash it down. "So, how much of it have we completed?"

"A little over half." Kendall told him, looking to the skeleton they were slowly, but surely building on the floor. Kendall had suggested they do it that way to keep track of what they had built, and what they still needed to cast. As much as they wanted all the kids to find bones to take home, she was determined to make it as accurate as possible. "We should probably be done before close of business."

"Presuming we don't take any more unscheduled breaks." He stated. Kendall just smiled.

"Well, we can always treat ourselves after we've finished." She suggested. "Once we've cleaned up, we can always go somewhere."

"I like the sound of that." He said as he took her hand. Kendall suddenly let go as she saw Ivan arriving.

"Ivan!" She called out.

"I see the work is progressing well." Ivan stated, looking at the skeleton starting to form up. "It reminds me of the mess in the Royal Artist's workshop."

"Yes, it is kind of messy work; we're going to clean up..." Kendall started to say, before something occurred to her. "Ivan, why...why are you still wearing your chainmail?"

"What would you have me wear?" He asked her.

"A uniform would be an idea." She suggested. "You are meant to be working."

"Yes, that is a matter I wished to discuss with you." Ivan told her. "The others appear to be under the impression that you wish me to serve food in your refectory."

"Is there a problem with that?" Kendall asked him. He just chuckled.

"I am a Knight of Zandar." He reminded her. "I am no servant. Perhaps you can find a task more suited to my station."

"Your station?" Matt asked. "How much exactly does being a Knight pay these days?"

"Ivan, everyone on the team works..."

"The plaster, that mark there on your shirt, is that a handprint?" He asked, looking to Kendall.

"I might have wiped off..."

"It appears much too large to be your delicate hand..."

"Uh...why don't you work security?" Kendall suddenly said, interrupting him. He just looked to her.

"Security?" He asked.

"Yes, security." She answered. "You know, patrol the museum, make sure no one steals or touches the exhibits, look for anyone acting suspiciously...security."

Ivan seemed to think about this for a moment. His primary duties in his day were to go to battle for the Prince, and to escort his son, Prince Colin when he was travelling, but he had in his time spent a lot of time looking for potential intruders and guarding the palace. He had on more than one occasion been entrusted with the treasures in the Royal Vault. He just nodded.

"That would be..."

"You will have to wear a uniform though." Kendall told him, hurriedly looking for a key. "Here, go into my office and find a uniform that fits. I'll make you a name badge later."

"I have seen your uniforms, and there is an issue." Ivan stated. "There is nowhere for my weapon..."

"Ivan, you can't carry your longsword on duty!" She told him, picking up a flashlight. "Here, you can have this."

"I am certain this will make thieves quake in terror." He sighed. This time was indeed different. While he now knew that there was nothing strictly speaking illegal with him carrying a sword, it was considered unusual. He'd already gained a lot of unusual looks from the citizens of Amber Beach. "I shall attend to my duties."

As he left, Kendall just sat back down, staring up at the ceiling.

"Why me?" She asked.

"Rain check on dinner?" Matt asked her. She just shook her head.

"Not a chance." She replied. "After this day, there is no way I am cooking."

Back in the museum, Chase was working the grill, while Tyler, Riley and Koda worked on the cafe floor. Riley went back to the counter, snapping a fresh ten dollar bill in his fingers as he went.

"And the green guy does it again!" He said cheerfully, shoving it into the tip jar. Tyler just smirked as he came back with a twenty, shoving it in. "Alright, there's no need to show off."

"What can I say? The customers love me." Tyler said with a childish smirk.

"The FEMALE customers love you." Chase stated, pointing to the table Tyler had just come from, seeing them all talking and continuing to look Tyler's way. "Just be grateful Shelby's running the tours this afternoon."

"Yeah, something tells me she wouldn't be too happy about that." Riley agreed. Tyler just laughed.

"Hey, when I take her out with the tips I earn, she doesn't care where it comes from." He chuckled as he picked up another order, checking the table number on the check. Koda came back, carrying a huge tray of the dirty dishes from the crash station, heading for the back. He almost bowled over Tyler as he went.

"Hey, watch it there." Tyler said, dodging him. "Wow, what lit a fire under him?"

"He said something about trying to finish up early." Chase answered. "He said something about that wrestling show down the street."

"Wait, he's actually wrestling?" Tyler asked. "Hasn't he only been wrestling a couple of weeks?"

"Nah, he's not wrestling. I think he said he was working ring crew...whatever that means." Chase replied. "Anyway, you two just get out there and keep earning those tips. Papa wants a new grip strip for his skateboard!"

Elsewhere in the museum, Shelby was leading another tour group around the museum. She finished up with the treasures of Zandar wing.

"And today we're finishing up with a special exhibit, generously donated by Prince Phillipe III of Zandar, the current heir to the throne." Shelby declared, heading in. "Here we have the personal surcoat of...IVAN!"

Ivan just looked to Shelby as she stumbled across him. She looked a little surprised to see him here; she was expecting him to be in the cafe with the guys. He just looked to her and bowed.

"Um...this is the personal surcoat of Sir Ivan, the Knight of Zandar, one of its most legendary figures." Shelby announced. "A surcoat was as much a Knights resume as it was an article of clothing. For every deed he performed after he was knighted, he was entitled to add a new design to his heraldry. For instance, these arrows here denote a victory in an archery tournament..."

"The great Tourney of Toulouse to be exact." Ivan interjected. "While this crown symbol was granted after serving in a successful campaign on behalf of the crown, driving off invaders from..."

His words tailed off as he saw Shelby staring at him. He saw that she didn't look happy about something.

"My apologies, I did not mean to take over." He said, gesturing down the hall. "I shall return to my duties."

He left, leaving Shelby to her tour. She just shook her head, trying to remember where she was in her commentary.

"Moving on, here we can see a small selection of jewellery straight from the vaults of the Royal Family." She continued.

Outside the exhibit room, Ivan just smiled. He didn't want to go in and correct Shelby; there was one important piece that actually wasn't made in Zandar, a ring that had belonged to Prince Collin's mother, who had it made in her own home nation. As he continued on his rounds though, he saw a couple of kids messing around, climbing into the early man exhibit that had been set up. They were taking selfies with the mannequins, and pretending to use the various tools and weapons. He headed over, looking to them in a disapproving manner, his arms folded.

"The signs are very clear, you are not meant to touch the exhibits." He said, looking down to them. He gestured to them to leave.

"What's it to you limey?" One of the kids responded. Ivan was completely taken aback.

"What did you call me?" He asked.

"Piss off back to England." Another of the kids chipped in. Ivan just took a deep breath.

"I am not English!" He responded. "And you should learn to respect your elders! Now I must ask you to leave!"

"Whatever man!" One of them grumbled. Ivan grabbed one of the kids by the jacket as they started to climb over the rope back to the museum floor.

"Do you behave this way all the time?" He asked. "Perhaps your parents should teach you some manners. Where I come from if a child behaved as you do, he would have his backside tanned."

The kid kicked Ivan hard in the shin, pulling free at which they all ran off, laughing as they went.

"RUFFIANS!" He yelled as he started to limp after them as quickly as he could.

In the Dino Lab, Kendall and Matt were back at work, making more of the pieces they would need for the day ahead. Matt cracked open another mould, one of the unique ones, pulling out a large, comparatively flat piece. He just stared at it.

"OK, a little help here?" He asked. "What exactly is this?"

"That's the right shoulder blade." She replied, looking to it. He just shook his head.

"I'm glad I have an expert to ask." He said as he headed over to the skeleton they were laying out on the floor. "He's really starting to take shape."

"She." Kendall corrected him. Matt just stared at her.

"Really?" He asked. "How can you tell?"

"The pelvic bones." She responded matter-of-factly. He just laughed.

"Wow, you really are going for attention to detail." He said as he looked to the skeleton. "You can actually tell the gender of a fake dinosaur?"

"I take my work very seriously." Kendall assured him as she came across with the bone that made up the tip of its tail.

"I'm sure the kids will have a great time digging her up." Matt responded. Just then, Koda came down the stairs, heading for his cave.

"Koda?" Kendall asked, checking her watch. Technically it was coming up for closing time. It was slightly early, but she was a little surprised it was Koda who was looking to duck out. Chase, she would have expected, but Koda...he literally lived at the museum.

"Can't talk, need to get ready." He rushed out, coming out of his cave. He was wearing a pair of jeans Kendall had bought him months ago, and pulling on a fresh, clean t-shirt. He was even wearing the trainers she had tried once, and only once, to get him to wear.

"Wait, what's going on?" She asked.

"Carl want me on ring crew." He explained. "I need to go."

"Wait, what about your work?" She asked him.

"I finish work." Koda answered, before furrowing his brows. "How Kendall get plaster in hair?"

"Alright fine." Kendall sighed. "Go and have a good time." She told him. Koda hugged her tightly, before heading for the door. Matt put his arm around her.

"I never thought I'd see the day Koda ducked out of work early." He commented. Kendall just groaned.

"Well, I guess he's owed the time anyway." She responded. "The last batch should be ready to come out of the kiln now."

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To take a shower!" She called back, hoping to get cleaned up and changed before anyone else noticed the aftermath of the plaster fight.

Back upstairs, Ivan had been chasing the kids through the museum, finally cornering them in the Zandar exhibit. He smiled as he saw them looking around trying to find a way out.

"If you seek to run from the consequences of your actions, you should be mindful of the location of the exits." Ivan said as he closed in on them. "Now, do you have mobile telephones?"

"You want our cell phones?" One of them asked him.

"I want you to call your parents." Ivan told them. "I sincerely doubt they would be impressed by your actions."

One of them tried to run, but Ivan barred his path.

"Not this time I fear." Ivan said. "You may leave when your parents come to collect you."

"Alright, we shouldn't have done it alright?" One of them pleaded. "We were just messing around. We didn't take anything, can't we just forget this?"

"Your apology is appreciated, but I fear your behaviour and foul language require more than just simple words." Ivan answered. "Now, call your parents to collect you."

The kids didn't seem to like this idea, but one of them had already started dialling.

"Hi, Mom? It's me." He began. "Look, I'm at the museum. The security guy is holding us here for climbing on one of the exhibits."

Ivan looked to the kid with a satisfied smile, seeing the expression on his face as he listened to his mother's response.

"I know mom, I'm sorry..." He said as he listened. "Wait, what? You want to speak with him?"

The kid presented his phone to Ivan.

"Mom says she wants to talk to you." He told Ivan. The Gold Ranger took the phone with a satisfied smirk and held it to his ear.

"Fear not madam, your son has come to no harm." Ivan stated. However, his face twisted in confusion as he heard the voice on the other end.

"On the third stroke, the time will be..."

The kid kicked him hard in the shin, snatching his phone away. Ivan just recoiled in pain.

"Dork!" He yelled as a second kicked him hard in the same shin.

"Dweeb!" The second kid said as the third slammed the last kick in the other shin, bringing him to his knees.

"Loser!" He called out as the kids all ran, laughing for the exit. Ivan finally managed to pull himself back to his feet.

"Those little..." He muttered. "These children truly hold no respect. This would never have happened..."

He looked up, seeing his suit of plate armour, and a smile came to his face.

"...in my day."


	9. Koda's First Show

Koda arrived at the back entrance of the theatre, finding the truck already backed up, and a bunch of the other trainees already beginning to unload it. He saw one of the guys struggling with one of the corner posts.

"Great, you're here." The trainee said with a distinct note of relief in his voice. The corner post was a large, steel pipe essentially and easily weighed a couple of hundred pounds. Koda came over, and effortlessly lifted it onto his shoulder.

"Where you want it?" Koda asked. The stunned trainee just pointed in the door.

"Carl will show you where they're setting up." He said in a barely audible voice. Koda smiled and headed inside, while the other trainees just stared at him.

"WOW!" One of them remarked. "That was..."

"I'm really glad all of this is a work." Another trainee said. "I wouldn't like to think what it'd be like if he was actually trying to hurt someone."

Koda carried the corner post in, finding others setting up the ring in the middle of the theatre. Although he had been to a show in this theatre once already, he couldn't help taking a look around. Somehow it all looked so different from down here. It seemed so much larger from down here. He could almost imagine what it would be like once the seats started to fill up. Just thinking of being here, with all those people watching him, he couldn't help smiling.

"Hey Koda, over here!" Carl called over. He was directing his trainees as they started to construct the ring for the show. Right now, there were only a few steel beams and some posts. Koda could see Carl holding up the end of a beam, while another held up another. "Bring the corner post, right here!"

Koda went over, setting the corner post down gently and turned it bringing the brackets to the inside, allowing Carl and the others to attach the beams.

"Alright guys, the first one's in!" He announced. "Good to see you Koda!"

"Where the others?" Koda asked him, noting a lot of the usual familiar faces weren't there. Carl just smiled.

"A couple of the locals are in the changing rooms in the back already." He informed Koda. "Some of the Indy guys aren't here yet. Jack...well, God knows where he is, he usually only arrives about 20 minutes before the curtain."

"CARL!" He heard a voice roaring from the back. He just sighed and started shaking his head. Koda just looked a little confused. It was Carl's show; he was the booker, the boss. While Koda had seen a couple of screaming matches between Shelby and Kendall, in general things like that didn't happen. Kendall ran the museum, she was the leader of that tribe, and as such she commanded a certain level of respect. There was a certain way that was considered appropriate to talk to her. It surprised Koda to think that anyone would speak to Carl any differently on his show.

"It's fine Koda." Carl assured him. "Our 'Superstar' seems to be upset about something."

Just then, they turned in time to see a couple of guys coming towards them. One of them was wearing a suit, and had a bald head and glasses. The other towered over both Koda and Carl, and was thickly muscled. He was wearing a long, black trench coat and denims, and had his hair dyed green. Given the look on his face, Koda could guess it was probably the larger man who had been yelling.

"Eddie, what seems to be the problem?" Carl asked him.

"Are you kidding me? Are you seriously kidding me?" He roared. The smaller guy gestured to Eddie to back it down, and looked to Carl.

"Look, the thing is, my client just met with his opponent and he has some...reservations." He told him. Carl just shrugged.

"I don't know what the problem is; El Jaguar is one of our finest regulars." He told him.

"She's a chick!" Eddie snapped. "And have you seen the size of her? I've eaten chicken wings with more meat on them!"

"She's made a huge name for herself; she's one of the best Luchadors I've seen." He assured him.

"Are you kidding? No one wants to see that flippy-dippy shit!" Eddie protested. Carl just looked to him sceptically.

"Really?" He asked. "So that would be why Rey Mysterio, Juventud Guerrera and Psichosis were some of the biggest names in the business?"

"I don't care if she's flavour of the month down here." Eddie stated angrily. "I am NOT doing the job for some chick that looks like I could snap her in half!"

"Well in that case, I'll be more than happy for you to give me back your appearance fee and wish you well on your way." Carl said sternly. This seemed to make Eddie back up.

"Whoa, hold on a minute there." Eddie's manager said, trying to calm his client down. "We had a deal..."

"We HAD a deal for both of your clients to take part in a tag team match!" Carl reminded him. "It's not my fault Vinnie got arrested at the border! I only had one regular who was up to putting on a match with Eddie tonight. If you're not happy with that, you can feel free to leave, but there is no way in HELL you're getting paid if you don't perform!"

"Do you have any idea how much it cost to fly down to this shit hole?" Eddie asked.

"You're already in breach of contract; I don't owe you a cent!" Carl told him. "Now, you can either put on your big boy pants and wrestle the match with one of our biggest stars, or you can get the hell out!"

Eddie was about to say something, but looking to his manager, he saw his expression and confirmed that Carl was right. He had no way to make Carl pay him if he didn't perform. He just turned and stormed back into the changing rooms. Carl just sighed.

"Sorry you had to see that Koda." He replied. Koda just looked confused.

"He angry because he lose to El Jaguar?" Koda asked. "But...not really lose, it a work."

"That doesn't matter to some guys." Carl told him. "Some of them start to get a little bit of fame and it all goes to their heads. Next thing they start refusing to work with people they don't consider to be big enough stars. Anyway, let's get this ring set up."

Koda just nodded and went back to helping Carl and the others setting up for the show ahead.

In another part of the city, a train pulled into the station. Two men stepped off, onto the platform. One of them looked around.

"So, this is Amber Beach huh?" He asked. "I suppose it beats having to fly all the way out to Zandar."

"Don't worry, all going well we won't be staying long." The other replied. "Come on, let's find a motel."

As they were heading out of the station, one of them bumped into a couple heading down the street.

"Oh, sorry." He said.

"No problem." Matt replied as he straightened himself out. He looked to Kendall as they headed down the street. "OK, so where exactly are we going tonight?"

"There's a place down here that does THE best Chinese." She informed him. "After the day I've had, I have had a major craving for sweet and sour pork."

"Chinese food eh?" He asked. "Let me guess, you were on a dig out there once."

"Actually, no." She told him. "But one of my college roommates was from Hong Kong. Trust me; nobody went hungry in that residential block."

"Sweet and Sour Pork huh?" Matt asked her, putting his arm around her. "That sounds interesting. How exactly can it be both sweet AND sour?"

Back at the theatre, the show had begun, and the fans were getting warmed up by the opening bouts. Koda was wearing a promotional T-shirt, and wandering around the edge of the ring. His main task was to keep an eye on the crowd and make sure no one got overly excited and tried to get in the ring themselves. While it wasn't common, it wasn't unknown for fans to get a little too involved in the show. So far, it was all running smoothly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our final match before the intermission is a singles match and it is scheduled for one fall! Coming to the ring first, from Detroit Michigan, weighing in at 230 pounds, one half of the Killer Koallition, Chainsaw Eddie!"

Eddie came out of the curtain and started making his way towards the ring, whipping up the crowd with rude and arrogant gestures. Koda could see that he was still in a mood about being made to take part in the match, under threat of not being paid. He stepped through the ropes, pulling off his trench coat and leaning into the corner. The ring announcer waited for the crowd to subside a little, and began the next announcement.

"And his opponent, from Mexico City, Mexico, weighing in at 97 pounds, El Jaguar!"

El Jaguar came out of the back to a huge ovation. Her distinctive mask, a call back to her heritage in Mexico had quickly become a fan favourite and one of the highest selling pieces of merchandise in the area. She ran into the ring, sliding under the bottom rope before flicking to her feet. She started to pace, waiting for the referee to call them to the centre of the ring. Once they had both set up, they went for a collar-and-elbow tie up. El Jaguar shifted, like she was trying to transition into a move, but Eddie didn't move. Instead, using his superior strength, he grabbed his smaller opponent and threw her almost three quarters of the way across the ring, where she hit the corner hard. Koda looked on. It wasn't a clean hit either, like it would have been if she had expected to hit the corner. She slumped down, grabbing the back of her neck and stared up at Eddie. He just beckoned her to get up.

El Jaguar got to her feet and ran for him, once again looking to link up, but this time he responded with a hard forearm right to the side of her face, knocking her to the mat, again not a clean bump as it should have been. Koda growled as he saw this. Carl had warned him about this, sometimes performers would take things too far, especially if they thought they could get away with it. Eddie, still unhappy about being scheduled to lose to a smaller opponent was taking liberties with her. He was working far too stiff, and he wasn't co-operating with the moves to make her look weak.

As Eddie grabbed her, El Jaguar caught him across the ribs with a hard kick, winding him, and followed up, elbowing him in the face. She'd been in the business long enough to know that sometimes, when her safety was in danger because another was taking liberties, the only way to respond was to defend herself and earn respect that way. As she tried to hip-toss him, he didn't jump and assist the throw as he should, a trick known as "sandbagging" because it made it much harder, and sometimes almost impossible to pick an opponent up by going limp and forcing them to lift a dead weight. El Jaguar was forced to use sheer power to bring him over, something that was clear in how messy the landing looked, and how much it seemed to take out of her from the effort. Koda looked around for Carl to see if he was going to do anything to stop the match, but he couldn't see any sign of him. He struggled to know what to do. Despite knowing that Eddie was behaving in a reckless and dangerous way, the fans had paid good money for the show. He couldn't break up the match unless there was no other choice. He reluctantly hung back, hoping that El Jaguar was able to defend herself.

In the Chinese restaurant, Kendall and Matt were just sitting down to their first course. Matt was more than pleased with the portion of ribs he'd been served up, while Kendall had opted for Won Ton soup. Matt picked up the first rib and took a bite, before letting out a satisfied moan.

"Oh man, this sauce is amazing." He commented. "I thought my mom's sauce was good...uh...just...don't tell her I said anyone else's sauce was better though."

"Don't worry; your secret is safe with me." She teased him as she took a mouthful of the soup. Matt just looked to her.

"What are those pasta things?" He asked. "I mean, I've had pasta in soup before..."

"They're Won Tons, little pasta pouches filled with minced prawn." Kendall told him. "It's really good; would you like to try...?"

"Maybe another time." Matt answered, finishing up his rib. "I have to say, I'm really looking forward to this thing tomorrow."

"Fossil Fun Day?" Kendall asked him. "Yeah, it should be good."

"Wow, you sounded really enthusiastic about that." Matt replied with a small laugh.

"I don't know, it just...it sounds like a whole lot of hassle for nothing." Kendall told him. "You were there when we made up all those bones. I've basically lost two days of work."

"And that's a bad thing because...?" Matt asked her. Kendall just sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know, I guess I just...I guess I just kind of like things to be organised, to have an order to them you know?" She asked him. "Instead, I'm going to be a glorified kindergarten teacher for the day."

Matt saw a noticeable shudder from her as she said this. He looked to her curiously.

"You do like kids don't you?" He asked her.

"Sure I like kids." Kendall told him, somewhat less than convincingly. "In small doses...and in controlled environments and..."

"Controlled environments?" Matt chuckled. "You really don't know much about kids do you?"

Kendall just glared at him. Matt smiled and sat back, staring at her for a while.

"What now?" She asked him.

"I'm just trying to imagine what you were like as a kid." He replied. "I'll bet you weren't the puppies and kittens kind of girl."

"Really?" She asked him.

"I'm thinking...braces, maybe some pig tails..."

"That soup was good." Kendall said as she pushed her bowl away. "I wonder where the waiter is to order up the next course."

"I guess we could do that." Matt answered with a wry grin. "But don't think I've forgotten about this. I'll bet you were a super cute kid."

Kendall just gestured over the waiter, all the while trying to hide her smile from him.

Back at the theatre, the match was well underway. It seemed that El Jaguar had made a point, because somewhere in the proceedings, he had started to co-operate as he was meant to.

He picked her up, slamming her to the floor, before heading to the corner, and starting to climb the ropes. Just as he was nearing the top, El Jaguar was on her feet, and leapt up, drop-kicking him to stun him. She climbed up, positioning herself under his arm, and grabbing him around the neck. This was the set-up for one of her finishers, the Spanish Fly. It was a spectacular move when performed properly, but it was also highly dangerous. As she prepared for the move though, Eddie grabbed the top rope and refused to go, anchoring them to the top. He hit her, trying to knock her out of the ring, something that was bound to cause an injury. Jaguar hit him in the face with her elbow, before going for the move again. She launched into a back-flip, but Eddie didn't flip forwards as he was meant to, instead being dragged by her weight. She had to let go and abandon the move halfway through to twist herself, although she still landed awkwardly on her right arm and shoulder, crying out as she hit the mat. Eddie wasn't so lucky though, landing on his head. She could see he had stopped moving and covered him as delicately as she could, taking the three count and ending the match.

She rolled out the ring, clutching her arm to herself and landed right by Koda. The Blue Ranger signalled to the back for assistance, while he helped her backstage.

"Where is she?" Carl asked, coming into the changing room. Koda gestured him over, and let him start to take a look at her. He started moving her arm, feeling around for any signs of a break or a dislocation.

"Carl, what the hell was that?" Eddie's manager yelled as he came in.

"Look Steve, we've called an ambulance..."

"He landed on his HEAD! This dumb bitch could have broken his neck!" He yelled.

"It was an accident! They happen in this game!" Carl protested.

"Yeah, they happen when you hire some half-assed clumsy illegal!" He spat in his disgust. He grabbed El Jaguar's mask, pulling it off, revealing that it was Alessandra underneath. "Look at her; she's barely more than a kid!"

"Back off Steve!" Carl told him. "She's one of the best..."

"Trust me, you'll be hearing from our lawyers about this!" Steve answered. Koda looked to Alessandra, who just sat, not answering. It was like she was still too shaken up from the match to answer him back. Koda interjected, shoving Steve back.

"Eddie's fault!" Koda protested. Steve just stared at him. "Steve stiff her. He sandbag her all match. He sandbag her on last move. His fault he get hurt."

"You wonder why shit like this happens?" Steve asked. "Your staff can't even speak..."

"He might not speak the best English, but he's right, and the footage proves it!" Carl replied, finally losing his patience. "Take your payment and go. Don't expect a call to come back, and if you try to file a lawsuit, I'll take you AND your clients to the cleaners!"

Steve just turned and left as Eddie was stretchered out of the arena. Carl looked to Alessandra, seeing the look of pain on her face.

"Right, I don't THINK anything's broken, I think it's just a sprain, but we should get you to the hospital to get checked out properly." He told her. "Koda, would you stay with her while I get someone to drive her?" Koda just nodded.

As Carl left, Koda looked back to her. He smiled at her.

"Not listen to mean man." He told her. "You good wrestler. Eddie very bad man."

"You...you stand up for me." She replied, causing Koda to look at her a little surprised. It was the first time he had ever heard her say anything. She looked to him with wide eyes.

"You talk to me?" He asked her. Alessandra suddenly looked very self-conscious. She looked away from him. He put a hand on her shoulder and stroked it gently. "Why you not talk before?"

"I not speak very good." She replied in a very broken way. She looked to him, her eyes betraying her nerves. "My English not good."

"My English not so good either." Koda assured her. Alessandra smiled a little hearing this. Carl came in.

"Rob's got a car; he said he can take you to the hospital." He told her. Alessandra looked to Carl.

"Koda come too?" She asked. Carl looked almost as surprised as Koda. Although he had known her a lot longer, she rarely spoke. She had a good understanding of what people were saying to her, but she still struggled, having to think of the words when she was trying to speak. It got to her when she couldn't think of what she was trying to say.

"Well, what do you say Koda?" He asked. Koda just looked to Alessandra and nodded.

"I go with you." He replied, helping her out of her chair as they headed for the car.


	10. The Night Before the Fossil Fun

Koda helped Alessandra into the hospital; opening the doors ahead of her and making sure no one got too close and risked banging into her arm. She still had it wrapped around herself, trying not to move it too much. She hadn't even managed to change out of her wrestling clothes. Koda led her through to the admissions desk.

"My friend, hurt arm." He explained. "Need doctor."

"Are you the patient?" The nurse at the desk asked Alessandra. She just nodded her head. "Have you lost consciousness as a result of the injury?"

Alessandra shook her head again. The nurse put a clip board with a form on the counter.

"You don't appear to be bleeding, and unfortunately we're kind of swamped here. If you could fill out this admissions form, we'll be with you as soon as possible." She answered. Koda didn't look at all happy with this resolution. Alessandra was hurt, and he wanted to get her treatment as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the downside of holding the show on Friday night was Friday night admissions at the hospital for anyone that was hurt.

Friday and Saturday nights were easily the busiest nights for admissions in hospitals. The week was ending, and people were concentrating more on their weekend plans than on keeping safe. Road traffic accidents, sporting injuries among those who spent most of the week sitting at desks only to overdo it on their Friday night game, alcohol and drug related illness and injury...people did a lot of stupid things once their working week came to an end, and that led to a lot of people needing treatment. Most hospitals were stretched to cover, and went on a very strict case of prioritising the injuries and illnesses that were life-threatening, while others had to wait until someone was available. Koda took her to a chair in the corner, helping her to sit as gently as possible.

"You alright?" Koda asked her. "It hurt...?"

"I'll be fine." She answered, taking the form from him. He saw her fumbling with the form and the pen, trying to write with her left hand alone, resting the clip board on her knees. He eventually took the form from her. She had barely managed to enter her name and her date of birth.

"Nature of injury...shoulder and arm." He said, writing it out. "Insurance number..."

"No insurance." Alessandra told him. Koda just nodded, writing in none. Medical insurance was expensive at the best of times, and it was even more expensive when working in a high risk profession. Most insurance companies that would even insure wrestlers charged extremely high rates, well beyond the means of a lot of independent workers. It looked like Alessandra was one of the unlucky ones that had to just take her chances, and end up paying for the treatment herself. As Koda continued to help her fill out the form, he noticed her shivering. It was only then that he noticed a problem. Her outfit was designed more for aesthetics than warmth. It was only lycra, and it was quite revealing. It seemed that the waiting area was more than a little cold for her. He pulled in closer, putting his arm around her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Eddie is bad man, bad wrestler." He told her. "You very good friend, teach me a lot."

"You much better man too." She answered.

Koda looked around to see if there was a doctor available, but he couldn't see anyone approaching. Alessandra rested into him to stay warm.

"I...see you before." She told him. Koda just looked at her, wondering if she was hurt more badly than he thought. Of course she had seen him before, they trained together most days. "Before you join gym."

"Before?" He asked her. She just nodded.

"I see you at bowling alley." She explained. "When mean kids were rude to you."

Koda remembered that day, but it wasn't one of his most pleasant memories. Riley had taken him bowling with his friends in an attempt to find him a hobby he could enjoy. When some local kids had made fun of him for the way he spoke, Koda had become deeply upset and left.

"You see that?" Koda asked her. She just nodded.

"I get very angry, teach those kids manners." She told him. "It not nice they make fun of you. I have trouble here too."

"You do that for me?" He asked her.

"I only come here one year ago." She told him. "I meet Carl in Puerto Rico, he offer me bookings here. I only know very little English."

She took a deep breath.

"I know what it feel like when people not understand me." She admitted. "I see way people look at me when I find it hard to think of right words. It make me feel...stupid when people not understand what I trying to say."

"You not stupid." Koda assured her. "They stupid for not seeing that."

They were interrupted as a doctor came over to them, taking the clipboard from Koda. He looked to it.

"OK, a shoulder injury, caused by a fall?" He asked. He looked to Alessandra, seeing the way she was dressed. "You're a little old to be playing superheroes aren't you?"

"She wrestler." Koda explained gruffly, saving her from having to speak. The doctor just sighed and gestured down the hall.

"Alright, let's get that shoulder x-rayed and see what you've done to yourself." He groaned. "Just this way."

Kendall and Matt had finished their dinner, and had opted to walk back to the apartment instead of getting a cab. It gave them an opportunity to swing past the museum, and more importantly, the garden out behind it where they had started to set up for Fossil Fun Day. So far, a perimeter had been cordoned off with rope, decorated with flags, and a large sand-pit had been built in the middle, but had yet to be filled. Kendall figured it would be easier to bury the 'bones' if they were placed in the sand pit before it was filled with sand. A few port-a-potties had been set up in one corner.

"So, what do you think?" She asked. "We're going to set up some grills over there, and we'll have coolers for the food and drinks over there..."

"It looks like it should be a lot of fun." Matt said with a smile. "I'm really looking forward to it. It reminds me of the harvest festival back home...you know...without the booze."

"I'm just not looking forward to the cleanup afterwards." Kendall sighed. Matt just looked to her.

"Now that's not the spirit is it?" He teased her. "Come on, just imagine what it'll be like, all those kids running around, laughing, having the time of their lives. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Kendall didn't look especially convinced, but Matt just smiled.

"Trust me, just try not to worry about it too much and enjoy the day itself." He assured her. "Believe me, the harvest festival back home is a complete hoot! Dancing, music, amazing food...sure the main street looks worse than it did the last time we had a hurricane, but we just deal with that when it comes. If you think about that too much, you don't have time to enjoy the day itself."

"I guess I'm just used to always thinking ahead." Kendall responded. "I've already got the tax returns for the museum done for..."

"For APRIL?" He chuckled as he took her by the hand, beginning to walk back towards the apartment. "If you look too far ahead, you miss what's right in front..."

He was interrupted as his foot hit something and he tripped, before either of them knew what was happening, they were both being soaked as water sprayed the area.

"Aw HELL, you tripped over one of the sprinklers!" Kendall yelled. "It's split..."

"It doesn't look too bad!" He told her. "I think I can tighten it up enough to stop it if you can get me a wrench."

Kendall rifled through her pockets, fishing out a key to the museum. She headed inside as Matt tried to stop the flow as much as he could. She came back a little while later, carrying a monkey wrench, handing it to Matt. He tightened everything up as much as he could, at which the spray stopped.

"I think that's it." He told her, looking for noticeable signs of any further leaks. He satisfied himself that it appeared to have stopped.

"So, this is looking ahead is it?" Kendall teased him. Matt just laughed, putting his arm around her as she locked up the museum before they continued on their walk back to the apartment.

In a motel, a man was sitting, flicking through the channels on the TV, looking for something to watch, while his companion hung up the phone.

"The pizza should be here in about half an hour." He told him. "And before you ask, no there's no chocolate or marshmallows."

"You know, when you put together this trip last minute, I didn't expect us to end up anywhere with a room service menu," the other man sighed, looking to the channel guide, "but I was at least hoping for a decent selection of channels. Damn it, they don't have the CW here, I'm missing The Flash!"

"It'll all be worth it when I make my challenge." The other answered with a smile. "How often are we likely to find a real legend like this for me to challenge my skills against?"

"So, do we have any ideas on how exactly we're going to find Sir Ivan?" His companion asked, tossing the remote aside.

"I still think the museum is a good bet." He replied. "He showed up in town right after that exhibit to Zandar opened up."

"So your plan is to just turn up and start asking questions?" His companion asked, going into a bag and pulling out some bourbon. "Hey, have you seen any 800 year old knights running around lately?"

The other ignored his companion's sarcasm and just put down a flyer for the Fossil Fun Day that he had picked up when they arrived in town.

"They're having some kind of huge event for kids there tomorrow." He replied. "That should be enough of a distraction for us to have a look around."

"Well, speaking of distractions, since I'm missing my favourite show, I guess the least I can do is enjoy a bourbon on the rocks." His companion said, throwing him an ice bucket. "Go and get some ice from the machine would you?"

The other guy just headed out of his room, heading for the ice machine. When he got there, he found a huge guy in a blue shirt scooping out some ice. He just waited patiently.

"You nearly done there?" He asked. Koda turned around and nodded.

"Have all I need." He answered. "Good night."

Koda headed into another room, finding Alessandra inspecting her injury. He had insisted on seeing her home once she was checked out at the hospital. He didn't expect her to be living day-to-day in a cheap motel.

Her arm and shoulder were taped up heavily. She hadn't broken anything, but there was some slight tearing and it was badly sprained. She'd been told she'd need to rest it up for a while, but other than that, she seemed to be alright. He quickly averted his eyes; she had taken off her T-shirt to have a look. She noticed him and pulled on her shirt gently.

"Sorry, so sorry." Koda rushed out. "Not know you...not dressed."

"It alright." She assured him. Koda took a fresh towel and started to wrap some of the ice, and handing it to her.

"You feel alright?" He asked her as she held the ice-pack to her shoulder. She just nodded.

"Been hurt worse." She assured him. Koda gestured to the door.

"I should go." He told her. "Have busy day at work..."

"You hungry?" She asked him. "Should thank you for looking after me."

She went to the fridge in her room and looked inside for something to offer him. She just sighed, looking disappointed.

"Not have chance to buy food." She told him. Koda just held up a hand.

"It alright..."

"Only have...leftover burgers." She told him. Koda just paused.

"Burgers?" He asked her. She just smiled as she pulled them out, placing them in the microwave.

Kendall and Matt arrived back at the apartment block, heading towards her apartment. As they got closer though, Matt just stopped.

"Uh oh." He stated. Kendall just looked to him curiously.

"What is it?" She asked him. Matt just sniffed the air.

"Do you smell that?" He asked her. Kendall hadn't noticed before, but now he mentioned it, something did smell incredible. "Shit, this...is bad."

"What is it?" Kendall asked him.

"I'd know that smell anywhere." He responded as he went to the apartment Tyler, Riley, Chase and now Ivan shared. He knocked on the door. "It's my mom's apple pie!"

Kendall suddenly realised their mistake. Mrs Griffin was helping with the Fossil Fun Day the following day, and Kendall had agreed to let her stay over at her place. They were meant to pick her up from the bus station! As the door opened, Tyler was in the doorway, holding a plate with some steaming hot apple pie, topped with ice cream that was starting to melt through it.

"Matt, you're just in time!" He mumbled through a mouthful. "Your mom's pie is absolutely incredible..."

"Mom, I am SO sorry!" Matt rushed out as he came into the room, finding his mom serving up more of the pie to Riley and Chase, who were clearly overjoyed with it. "Ken...uh...Ms Morgan and I were just...uh...finishing up preparations for tomorrow..."

"It's fine Matt, really." She answered. "I called your brother when I realised you must have lost track of time."

"I know I said I'd pick you up, but it just slipped my mind." Matt said apologetically.

"Matt, trust me, it's absolutely fine." She assured him, grabbing Riley. "It's given me time to catch up with Riley."

"So...I' forgiven?" Matt asked her.

"Of course you are." She answered.

"Forgiven enough for some of that pie?" He asked. Mrs Griffin just laughed.

"There's more on the counter." She told him. Matt headed over to get some more of the pie, while Kendall sat with the others. Riley just looked to her.

"Ms Morgan, why are your clothes wet?" He asked.

"Oh..we were walking back from the museum." Kendall told him. "We got caught in some rain."

"Rain?" Chase asked, looking to the window. "I don't remember any..."

"It was a very sudden shower." Kendall answered abruptly as Matt came back, handing her a plate and a spoon. "Thank you, this really does smell great."

As Matt sat with her, Mrs Griffin just got a knowing smile.

'Who do they think they're kidding?' She thought to herself.


	11. Last Minute Freak Out

The following morning, everyone was getting up early. Although they had done as much work to set up as possible the day before, there was still a lot to do before the Fossil Fun Day began. Kendall came into the living room, finding Mrs Griffin in her kitchen cooking. She was a little surprised by this, since with the exception of a few digs where she stayed with others out of necessity, she had lived on her own since she had left university. She wasn't used to anyone else cook for her. She also wasn't exactly a morning person. Most days, she'd pick something up on the way to the museum or rely on a good, strong coffee to keep her going until she had lunch at the museum. It had been a long time since anyone had cooked breakfast for her.

"Good morning Ms Morgan." Mrs Griffin greeted her. "Come, sit down."

Kendall started to make her way over, at which Mrs Griffin pointed to the coffee machine.

"I was able to do everything else, but I can't for the life of me figure out how that contraption works, would you mind?" She asked.

"Of course not." Kendall replied, making her way over. She set the filter, and started up the machine. Since she was the only one who used it, it was already set to her preferred settings. Mrs Griffin turned her attention to the breakfast in the pan. It smelled fantastic, and Kendall had to admit looking forward to it.

"You really didn't have to go to all this trouble." Kendall told her.

"It's really no trouble, for me this is practically sleeping in." Mrs Griffin assured her, waving it off. She handed Kendall the spare key. "I do have to say, I'm a little surprised that for living on your own, you didn't have more food in the refrigerator. I needed to go out."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Kendall said, beginning to prepare mugs. "I...um...don't have company much."

"I noticed that." Mrs Griffin replied. "This kitchen is spotless. I had thought it was down to you being organised, the rest of the apartment is very neat...but I couldn't help noticing the only appliance you have with the labels worn is the coffee maker."

Kendall had to be quite impressed at this observation. There was a certain amount of detective work involved in palaeontology. Since there were no living dinosaurs around to observe, everything scientists knew about them was based entirely on observation and conclusions drawn from evidence surrounding the sites of fossil finds. Many species of herbivores had been found in groups, demonstrating that they travelled in herds. Pre-mortem injuries gave them indications how the animal died, which gave them an insight into the nature of the food chain, which species prayed on which others.

"I...don't cook much." Kendall admitted. "I work long hours..."

"I work long hours too; you should really take better care of yourself." Mrs Griffin told her. The coffee maker clicked off, at which Kendall started to pour. Mr Griffin started to plate up the breakfast. She joined Kendall at the counter, setting down a plate in front of her. There were scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon and toast.

"Well, I'm really not used to eating this much in the morning, but it looks delicious." Kendall said as she started eating. Mrs Griffin sat opposite her, picking at her plate.

"Ms Morgan..."

"Please, feel free to call me Kendall." She answered. "Riley's not around, this isn't an official conversation."

"Of course, Kendall." She replied as she took a sip of her coffee. "I just wanted to talk to you about my son."

"Riley?" Kendall asked. "Everything's progressing well there. His grades are a lot higher than even we expected, we're even thinking about putting some college work into his curriculum if you allow him to continue with us next year..."

"I was talking about Matt actually." She answered. Kendall gulped down some of her breakfast.

"Matt?" Kendall asked her. Mrs Griffin just looked to her. "I don't know..."

"You don't have to play coy with me, Kendall." She said with a smile. "I can't help noticing Matt spends a lot more time in the city since he met you, and I have seen you together."

"Oh." Kendall answered, realising she couldn't talk her way out of it. She already knew that there would be complications in dating Matt. She was Riley's tutor. While she always kept things professional and would never let how she felt about Matt affect the way she handled Riley's assessments, she understood there were those that would question her grading and her teaching. Not to mention the fact she didn't know how Riley would react if he knew that his tutor was dating his older brother, a guy who had almost fulfilled the role of his father since Mr Griffin had passed away. "Listen, I know this seems a little..."

"You don't need to worry Kendall; I know you're a good person." She replied. "Matt's had a lot of weight on his shoulders since Bruce died. He's dedicated most of his life to the farm. What he has with you, whatever it is, it obviously makes him happy. I'm glad to see him happy."

"That means a lot." Kendall answered.

"I do have to ask you one thing." Mrs Griffin said. "My sons are very dear to me, they're all that matter to me, and now...you're involved in both their lives. I just have to ask that you take that responsibility seriously, and you're careful with them."

"I promise you I will be." Kendall answered. "You have my word."

"I also have to say, Riley's a bright boy, but...he's not as smart as he thinks he is." She assured her. "You've managed to keep this from him for a while, but if you're going to get serious, you have to tell him."

"Mrs Griffin, it's still early days." Kendall answered. "We don't know what we are to each other..."

"Well, when you do, I'd like you to treat Riley like an adult just as you always promised and tell him." Mrs Griffin told her. "Matt's never kept anything from him in his life. I don't know what it would do to him if he found out himself."

"Hey, do I smell scrambled eggs?" Matt asked as he came into the room. He sat next to Kendall. "My mom makes THE best breakfast you've ever tasted."

"Yeah, I noticed that." Kendall replied as they carried on with their breakfast ahead of their busy day.

Over at the museum, Riley, Chase and Tyler had already left the apartment to get set up. Shelby and Koda were starting to fill the sand-pit with the plaster bones before getting to work on adding the sand, while Chase and Tyler were concentrating on the grills. They each had one end of the large grill, while Riley was carrying a gas bottle a little way behind them.

"Alright Chase, a little to the left." Tyler guided him, as Chase was walking backwards, holding the other end. "No, not your left, MY left!"

"Well you might want to make that a little clearer." Chase grumbled as he almost walked into a trash can. He rounded it, continuing on the way.

"Can you guys go a little faster?" Riley moaned. "This thing is really heavy!"

"Yeah, and this thing's like a big fluffy cloud!" Chase responded. "You know, this would go WAY faster if a certain knight was helping. Where the hell is he anyway?"

"I don't know, he just said he had something to do in his room." Tyler replied as he looked for the path into the cordoned off area. "I couldn't be bothered arguing with him about it, so I just told him to join us when he was done."

"Yeah, what was he up to anyway?" Riley asked. "I heard a lot of metal rattling around..."

"Who cares? That guy might be good in a fight, but when it comes to the day-to-day work, he's as useful as a...whooooooaaaa!"

Chase slipped and fell, squeltching down into a large patch of muddy ground. The others were over by him as quickly as they could.

"Chase, what happened?" Shelby asked him.

"I don't know, I just slipped, the ground..." He held up a hand, seeing it was cake in mud. He looked around, seeing a large patch of the ground was now water-logged. "Aw man, how did this happen?"

"I think I might have found the culprit." Tyler said as he spotted a sprinkler that was off-centre. He checked it, finding it leaking. "It looks like someone broke this sprinkler. It must have been leaking most of the night."

"Great, and it's right at the entrance too!" Shelby complained. "We're going to have to pull up and move every single stake to move the entrance!"

"We're expecting the first guests in half an hour!" Chase reminded her. "There's no way we're going to have that finished in time."

"Well, it doesn't look too bad." Riley answered. "Sure it's a little slippery, if someone stays by the entrance to warn people, we should be fine."

"Well, someone else can do it." Chase responded. "I already need to wash up and get changed."

"Right, you go and do that." Tyler told him. "I guess we're going to have to get by as best we can. Koda, can you start pouring the sand? I'll set up the grill. Riley, would you look out the food?"

"Sure, it's all boxed up in the fridge ready to go." He answered, heading for the museum.

Up on Sledge's ship, Wrench was in his lab, working on his latest device, taking care to put the delicate components together. While his mechanical body could normally put things together much faster, this project had taken him days because he didn't want to take any risks with it.

He had to admit a certain disappointment, even a slight disdain for the fact his latest plan was so...basic. However, he couldn't deny one of the most basic principles of engineering...sometimes making something too refined and complex just made more to go wrong. Time and again he had seen overly elaborate plans from some of the others unravel because there were too many moving parts. Some minor detail got overlooked, whether it was ego, recklessness or just sending someone that was just too stupid to fully understand the plan, there was a flaw. This time, he was planning to simply use a hammer to drive in a nail. Why send a monster when he could just send a bomb?

They already knew the Energems were robust enough that they would survive; they had survived the asteroid shower that had wiped out almost all life on the planet unscathed! Sure, they might have to sift through some wreckage and corpses to FIND them, but then...it wasn't like there'd be anyone left to stop them was it?

He had an intricate knowledge of weapons systems, and had thought long and hard about what kind of bomb to use. He had ruled out viral weapons or atomic weapons, the last thing he needed was to create a fallout zone that would delay Sledge in going in to recover his bounty while it became safe to enter again. Instead, once again he had gone the simple route, and was building the most powerful explosive device he could create.

"Sledge is going to be so leased with me." Wrench said as he picked up the final component, the detonator. This was the most dangerous part of the process. While it would make the bomb safe to handle until it was set once in place, one wrong move installing it would complete the circuit and set off the bomb. He dreaded to think how little would be left of them if he did make a mistake. He was confident no one would ever find anything of him; since he was standing right next to it, as for the rest of the ship...he was sure it would make interesting space junk for some other traveller to happen across, wondering how someone had reduced a powerful battleship to tinfoil. "Just one final component...there!"

With the detonator now locked in place, the bomb was safe to handle. It would only go off now once it was primed and the timer expired. Well...enough force would cause it to go off if someone were particularly idiotic, but he couldn't imagine who would be so stupid...

"Curio? Are you in here?" Poisandra said in a sing-song voice as she searched for her pet in their mammoth game of hide-and-seek. So far it had lasted about two days, far longer than anyone sane would have found it entertaining. She saw wrench, and her eyes rested on the bomb in front of him. It was large and spherical. "Ooh...what are you making?"

"It's just...an engine component, nothing that would interest you!" He rushed out, trying to keep a grip on the bomb. Poisandra though had already snatched it from the table, and started looking at it. "Give that back!"

"Oh, what a fun little toy! Curio! Come on out, this game's getting boring!" She said as she started bobbing the bomb up and down. "I think a nice game of catch would be far more..."

"No!" Wrench protested as Curio clambered out of a nearby tool chest. He wondered when exactly the walking patch work doll had time to conceal himself in there, but had to admit it was a good hiding place. Wrench's work generally bored Poisandra. His tool chest would be the last place she'd want to look for anything. Just then, Sledge walked in, bringing a monster with him.

"Is the explosive ready?" Sledge asked.

"Explosive?" Poisandra screeched, throwing the bomb up in the air and squealing. Wrench had to sprint to catch it before it hit the ground.

"Y...y...yes sir!" Wrench stammered out.

"Sledgeums, he let me play with a bomb without telling me!" Poisandra whined as she came to his side, cosying up next to him. Wrench just looked at her, gobsmacked.

"LET YOU?" He asked, before shaking his head. That wasn't the important point right now. Setting the bomb safely back on the counter, he looked to Sledge. "It's ready! All I need to do is plant it and set the timer..."

"Take Smokescreen with you!" Sledge interrupted him.

"But Sledge...I can do this by myself!" Wrench protested. Once again, all he could think of was adding additional components to the plan making it more complicated than it needed to be. Poisandra had already risked vapourising everyone in the room, the last thing he wanted to do was entrust the plan to...what the hell was that thing anyway?

"Nonsense! I can fart out some fog so that no one can see us!" Smokescreen stated proudly. He crouched down, forcing out a cloud of gas to make a point. "Putting me in charge is the right thing to do!"

"He did NOT put you and your stinky fog in charge!" Wrench argued as he approached him. "Overgrown windbag, you wouldn't know HOW to use this bomb!"

"Overgrown wind-up toy!" Smokescreen responded.

"ENOUGH!" Sledge roared, shaking the ship with the volume of his voice. Wrench steadied the bomb on its stand, not wanting to take any chances. "Bring me an Energem and you'll be free! But fail me and..."

"Say no more!" Smokescreen responded, cowering away from his captor. "Come on Wrench, bring that bomb with you!"

Wrench just picked up the bomb and followed him, hoping that he was as good as his word and could keep the Rangers distracted. After all, if the plan succeeded, but Smokescreen just happened to be caught in the blast anyway...that would leave all the more credit for him!

Back at the museum, the preparations were well under way. Kendall was walking through the corridor with Matt, just going over the last of the preparations with him. She was carrying one of the kits that she had prepared for the kids.

"OK, remember, every kid gets a sifter, a safari hat, and a shovel." She told him, handing the items over to him as she tried to think of what else needed to be prepared. She had delegated the tasks to make sure everyone knew what they were doing, the Rangers constant grumbles were more about the fact she REPEATEDLY reminded them what they were doing than the tasks themselves. It was only a few minutes until the doors opened, and she was now really starting to worry that she had forgotten something. "Now, let's see what else am I..."

"Hey, hey, hey...deep breaths." Matt told her in a soothing voice, taking her arms. "Everything's been organised, everyone knows what they're doing. Relax; it's all taken care of. It's going to be great."

"OK, I admit, I'm a little stressed out, but Anton told me that kids look forward to the museum's Fossil Fun Day all year." Kendall told him. "It's a huge thing; my predecessor turned it into one of the highlights of the year for the local kids. This is my turn running it! If I screw it up..."

Matt grabbed her, and did the only thing he could think of to silence her, and kissed her. As they parted, he looked to Kendall and smiled.

"Calm down." He told her. "It'll be fine."

Just then, Kendall stepped away from him quickly, and straightened herself out, looking to him.

"Um...so...every kid gets..."

Matt saw Riley walking past, carrying some supplies from the kitchen and realised what she had seen. He just coughed.

"A hat, a shovel and a sifter." He repeated. Riley just shook his head as he passed them.

"Jeez Bro, it isn't THAT hard to remember is it?" He chuckled. Matt just went to his side, taking a box from him and following him outside. As they went though, Kendall took a deep breath. Even with all she had to worry about already, she couldn't help thinking about the conversation she'd had with Mrs Griffin earlier.

"No time for that now Kendall." She whispered to herself. "One problem at a time."


	12. Fossil Fun Day

Out the back of the museum, the Rangers were just finishing up the last of the preparations. There was already some activity out the front, and they were expecting Kendall to open the event any minute, and so everyone was breathing a collective sigh of relief that they seemed to have everything ready. Tyler put the last "gift pack", the equipment the kids got for the "dig" for bones on a table near the entrance, which they had done their best to dry out, but was still unfortunately a little damp and muddy.

"There we go, now we're all set!" Tyler declared proudly. Shelby was gesturing towards the front of the museum.

"Come ON guys, the crowd is already forming!" She told them. "We need to go!"

"Well, I for one am REALLY looking forward to this." Chase admitted. "Chloe would love this."

As they were about to head round, Tyler realised he was now finished with the worst of the messy work. He caught Shelby by the arm.

"Hey, Shelby, I've got something to show you." He stated. "You remember how we were shopping the other day?"

"Uh...yeah?" She asked.

"You remember telling me there was something you really liked?" He asked her. Shelby started smiling.

"You didn't!" She rushed out. She had pointed out a poster for a concert by the NZed Boyz, a boy band from New Zealand that she liked. She'd had a pretty monstrous cell phone bill that month, not to mention a couple of birthday presents for relatives she barely saw, and so she didn't actually have the money for tickets. It was unfortunate they had announced their first international tour after she had shelled out for a fondue set for her aunt Cheryl...or was it Aunt Rhonda? She couldn't really remember.

Tyler went to the back of his truck, and whipped out...a long, flowing leather coat. Shelby recognised it from the window at the mall. He had seemed keen, but she only paid it passing attention. Tyler put it on and showed it off for her.

"I got that coat we saw in the store window the other day!" He declared, turning this way and that to show it off to her. "Here, what do you think?"

"It's...um..." She struggled to find the words to cover what she wanted to say. She'd just kind of nodded and went along with it when Tyler expressed how much he liked it. "It's...fine."

"Fine?" Tyler asked, looking a little surprised. "But you said it looked great."

"It did!" She responded, before turning away from him. "On the mannequin."

"Tyler!" Chase called out. "There's kind of a riot forming over here!"

"I'm coming!" Tyler called out, running to join the others at the front of the museum.

When he got there, Ms Morgan was addressing the crowd, explaining about the point of Fossil Fun Day, to show kids a brief experience of what it was like to be a palaeontologist and dig up dinosaur fossils, the very same fossils that were on display in the museum. While it was a community outreach programme, and was entirely free, a large part of it was to generate interest and hopefully publicity for the museum, which relied largely on donations from visitors. Tyler and Shelby joined the others as they waited to lead the crowd around once she was finished.

"Nice coat." Chase commented.

"Thanks." Tyler answered. "I'm just glad I get to show it off, we were cutting thing pretty fine there."

"Tell me about it." Chase grumbled. "It would have helped if we had an extra pair of hands, but our precious knight was too busy."

"Yeah, what the hell was he doing anyway?"

"Oh crap!" Riley said as he pointed down the road. "You just had to ask!"

They all looked up, seeing the crowd turning to look where Riley was pointing. Tyler just groaned.

"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!" He responded. There, riding down the street on a white horse, complete with barding, was what they were presuming was Ivan. They couldn't really confirm it, since he was dressed head-to-toe in full plate armour! The body was covered by a green and white hauberk, patterned with heraldry documenting his accomplishments. He reared the horse to a stop as he got to the front of the museum, stopping before an awe-struck crowd.

"He's like something out of a romance novel." Shelby said as he opened his visor, before noticing the dark look Tyler had on his face. "Not...of course...that I read that kind of trash..."

"I come prepared for battle!" Ivan declared proudly, drawing his longsword. People started making their way towards him, pulling out their phones for pictures. Ivan smiled and started posing on the back of his horse. "Ah, digital portraits...I would be honoured to oblige!"

A little way off, Wrench and Smokescreen were hiding in the bushes, waiting for the crowd to move. It was taking longer than they expected, they were sure the event was meant to start before now.

"Why aren't they moving?" Smokescreen grumbled. "That one with the glasses really can talk! How long is she going to bore everyone before she lets them in?"

"Just stay quiet; it's almost time to move! The Red Ranger's truck is right there!" Wrench reminded him.

"First, let me fart out some fog to cover our move!" Smokescreen suggested.

"You'll just draw attention to us! They'll see us you moron!" Wrench rebuked him, smacking him upside the head. "I'll tell you when to fart!"

"I'll fart when I want! I'm in charge!" Smokescreen stated. Wrench just gestured to the bomb.

"I'm the one that created this, I'M in charge." He reminded him. "And I say we wait!"

Kendall finally forced her way through the crowd, putting herself between them and Ivan. She pointed around the side of the building.

"OK, there's nothing to see here!" She told them. "The event is just around the side there, move along!"

There were some groans of disappointment that the show was cut short, but Ivan didn't really notice. He was soaking up the adulation. He was getting some of the admiration he was used to in his day.

"Good day peasants!" He declared. "Have fun!"

"Peasants?" Chase asked, looking a little surprised no one had taken offence. They obviously thought he was just playing a character. Koda, looking impressed, shoved a bucket on his head, hoping to copy Ivan, but started staggering around when he couldn't see.

"Ivan, what are you doing?" Kendall asked him.

"I'm here for work!" He declared, looking to her. She just groaned.

"You can't come to work in plate armour!" She told him. "I know it's yours...but it's an exhibit in the museum! You aren't meant to wear it to work!"

"But the greaves will serve me well." He responded, remembering the kicks to the shins he received when he tried to order some kids away from the exhibits. "Besides, it is my property."

"Ivan, you can't wear plate armour to work!" Kendall reiterated before looking to the others. "I think we need to find Ivan something a little less...conspicuous...to wear."

"I can take him shopping!" Shelby suggested. Ivan just smiled.

"T'would be a pleasure my lady!" He declared, offering her a hand and helping her onto the back of the horse. "A brisk gallop through the woods would be in order!"

"Dude, you're just going to the mall!" Tyler called after them as they rode away. He just threw up his hands.

"Cheer up mate, all the free hot dogs we want." Chase reminded him. "Besides, Allison will be here soon.

"You're just excited because Allison said she'd be here." Riley teased him. Chase just smirked.

"There may be some truth in that." He responded. Tyler just shook his head, looking down the road Ivan and Shelby had taken.

"Where the hell did he get a horse anyway?" He grumbled as he followed them. A little way off, couple of strangers were watching events unfold. One of them turned to his companion and smirked.

"Well, that was easy." He stated. "Come on; let's go have some fun until he gets back."

"I swear, if you dare to say 'I told you so'..." The other warned him as they followed the crowd around the side of the building.

At a nearby mall, Shelby was leading Ivan around the shops as she looked for something for him to wear that wouldn't attract so much attention. They were already getting some odd looks, and a few people assuming he was promoting a movie or something had asked to take selfies with the Gold Ranger. She took him into the local Gap store.

"So, this is where people shop for clothes these days." He declared as he looked around.

"Come this way, we'll find something for you." She told him.

"Hi, can I be of some assistance?" A sales assistant asked. Shelby just looked to her.

"Yes, my friend here is looking for something a little less..." Shelby struggled to find a word. "Metallic."

"Well, let's see what we have to work with." She answered. "God height, I love the skin tone...um...it's a little hard to judge your build with all the metal..."

"You wish me to remove my armour?" Ivan asked, taking off his helmet and handing it to Shelby. "As the lady commands!"

He unclipped his breast plate, removing it and his pauldrons, dropping them on the floor with a crash. He unfastened the buckles on his chain mail and pulled off his upper portion, dropping it. He stood, stripped to the waist, getting more than a little attention from the female customers...and even some of the male customers. The sales assistant just blinked.

"Well...alright...I'll just...uh...take some measurements." She stated, taking out a measuring tape. Shelby just sighed as she sank into a seat and held the helmet in her lap.

"Knights really don't believe in subtlety do they?" She grumbled as the sales assistant took some measurements, looking more than a little too enthusiastic about doing so.

Elsewhere, a significant way from the city, Margaret was sitting in the farmhouse, fielding a call. As his head of security, personal assistant and confidante, among many other tasks she performed for him, she was more than used to taking calls for him, mainly to help him avoid calls that he was eager to avoid. Mainly press and his father, but since the Prince had begun his quest to bond to an Energem, he had stopped taking calls from pretty much everyone. He had explained that he doubted he could ever prove himself worthy of an Energem in the palace, and he sought to improve himself to earn an Energem's allegiance, but this was pretty much dropping off the grid altogether. She wondered how exactly he was planning to bond to an Energem spending all day every day on this farm.

"I'm afraid the Prince is unavailable at this time." She said wearily, parroting the same line she had for every phone call for the last couple of weeks. She was starting to feel like a glorified answering machine. Just then, the voice on the other end said something that made her stop and take notice. "What did you say? When was this?"

She started to take down some notes.

"Alright, whatever you do, do NOT touch it!" She rushed out. "Don't try and extract it, don't...just...don't touch it!"

Prince Phillipe had learned enough from the Rangers that an unbonded Energem was a dangerous thing, not just because it could bond to anyone, but it was actually PHYSICALLY dangerous! Energems before they bonded to someone were jealously protective of their power. They wouldn't just refuse to give them up; they would actively reject someone they deemed unworthy. He'd heard through the grapevine about the time Kendall had ended up in hospital after trying to bond to the Pink Energem, which later bonded to Shelby. There was a very real concern that not only would the Energem bond to someone else, but there was no telling who might get hurt if it deemed them unworthy.

"Just...send it over how it is!" Margaret instructed them. The voice on the other end said something. She just rolled her eyes. "Of course we don't want you to send the whole damned thing, I'm well aware of how large a whole Pachycephalosaurus is! Just...send the skull."

With that, she hung up the phone. Although the Prince was concentrating on his training, this was the one call he was waiting for, the one call she knew he wouldn't mind being interrupted for. She took the note, and headed out of the farmhouse in the direction of the barn.

She could hear the sounds of the Prince's training from the yard. He had truly dedicated himself to it. While he was no stranger to physical training, having earned his place as an officer in the Zandarian military beyond simply being a Royal, he had truly thrown himself into it. He was now easily topping 12 hours a day working on being physically ready for the responsibility that would come with an Energem. As she got to the door, opening it, she had to dodge as Phillipe flew through the air, landing in a heap next to her.

"Enough! Deactivate!" She called out. She offered Phillipe a hand, but he insisted on getting up himself. He was covered in bruises and grazes. "Well, this looks encouraging."

"It actually is helping. I'm definitely improving." Phillipe assured her, stroking his back as he stretched out. "I actually managed to hit it a few times."

"Perhaps if you tried a lower setting it would help?" She suggested. "Or, you know, activated the safety protocols. They ARE there for a reason."

"Somehow I doubt Sledge will tone down his skills or be considerate enough to use safety protocols." He remarked. "So, to what do I owe this interruption?"

"Phillipe, they've found it." She told him. Phillipe's face split into a wide grin.

"They have?" He asked. "When? Where?"

"It was back home in Zandar; they just unearthed it this morning." She told him. "I just got off the phone they're sending it over as we speak."

"Then tonight is a night to celebrate!" He said excitedly. "How would you like to eat out tonight?"

"Eat out?" She asked. "Where?"

"I believe this town DOES have eating establishments." Phillipe assured her. She just looked at him a little sceptically.

"You really want to eat out...here?" She asked.

"Why would I not? This town seems nice enough." He responded as he looked to her. "Besides, we've been here for a while; perhaps it is time we met some of the locals."

"If you insist." She replied, heading back for the house.

"Power down and recharge." Phillipe said as he grabbed his towel, and headed for the farm house himself. He had been waiting for this for so long; it was greater than every Christmas he had faced all at once. He was so close to realising his dream, he could almost taste it.

Back at the Fossil Fun Day, things were getting underway. The place was starting to get busier as more and more families arrived. Chase and Riley were already getting a lot of people crowding round the grill, helping themselves to the free food they had on offer. Kids were having the time of their lives, and everyone was starting to get into the spirit of the day.

"There, everyone's distracted!" Wrench rushed out, shoving the bob into Smokescreen's hands. "Quick! Plant it in the Red Rangers' car!"

"First, let me fart out some fog!" Smokescreen stated.

"NO!" Wrench reprimanded him, smacking him on the head. "It'll just draw attention to us, they'll see us you idiot! I'll tell you when to fart!

"Hey, I'M in charge, I'll fart when I want to!" He protested.

"The idea behind using the bomb was to put the Rangers in danger without them realising we'd done it!" Wrench answered. "A big cloud of red fog will attract a lot of attention don't you think?"

"Fine, then YOU plant the bomb!" Smokescreen told him, thrusting the bomb back into Wrench's hands. "I'LL keep an eye out for the Rangers!"

"Fine! Its better I do it myself anyway!" Wrench muttered. "You'd probably just mess it up anyway!"

He sneaked over to Tyler's jeep, placing the bomb in the back, and concealing it beneath a blanket. He made his way back to Smokescreen, looking rather smug.

"There, that's how it's done, and no one knows about the bomb, much less where it is." Wrench declared as he arrived back in the bushes. "In ten minutes, the whole city will be destroyed, and the Rangers don't even know it's in danger because we didn't need to use your disgusting farts!"

"Ten minutes?" Smokescreen asked him. "You set the bomb for ten minutes?"

"Yes, that's what I told you to..." Wrench started to say, before realising what Smokescreen had said. "Wait, you didn't set the timer?"

"ME?" He yelled. "YOU set the bomb; YOU were supposed to set the timer!"

"ME?" Wrench responded angrily. "You said that YOU were in charge!"

"Funny how I'M in charge when you're dishing out the blame!" Smokescreen grumbled. "Now just go and set the timer or that bomb will never go off!"

As he was about to go, he suddenly stopped.

"What now?" He asked.

"Someone's coming!" He protested. "If we get seen setting the bomb, the Rangers will find out what we're doing and stop us for sure!"

"Fine, then I'll just..."

"NO FARTING!" Wrench chastised him. "We'll just wait until they go!"

Just then, Allison skated into the parking lot, skidding to a halt. She saw another girl in the parking lot, looking completely lost. She had her right arm in a sling, and was staring at the museum entrance, almost looking confused by the fact it seemed to be closed.

"Hey there!" Allison greeted her. "Can I help you with something?"

Alessandra just looked to her, and suddenly froze up. She was always self-conscious about speaking to others because of her difficulty with English. Allison just looked to her.

"Um...can I help you with something?" She asked. "Are you looking for someone?"

"I..." Alessandra started to try and say. She thought about it for a while. "I look for man who work here...look for Koda."

"You know Koda?" She asked. Alessandra just nodded. "You must be here for the Fossil Fun Day! They're right around the back!"

Alessandra just looked at her blankly. Allison realised she must have spoken too quickly.

"I'll show you." She told her. "I just need to put this somewhere...ah, here."

She went over to Tyler's jeep, throwing it into the back carelessly. Wrench cringed as he heard it clatter off the bomb, but was thankful it hadn't hit it hard enough to set it off.

"I know the guy that owns it; he won't mind me leaving my board there for safe keeping." She assured Alessandra as she gestured to her to follow her. "So, how do you know Koda anyway?"


	13. They're Good For Your Heart

The Fossil Fun Day was just starting to get underway, and more and more parents were bringing their kids. It looked like a fun day that the kids were going to really enjoy. Even the Rangers seemed to be having a whale of a time too. Tyler was making the best of things, even though as a result of the broken sprinklers he was stuck on the entrance, making sure to guide people safely pass the mud and handing out the digging kits that Ms Morgan and Matt had put together for them. Given that they had spent all day the previous day making all the bones for the dig, and had been up early to put the kits together, he had to wonder how exactly they got the energy. Even he was tired, and he had an Energem.

Chase and Riley were doing brisk business on the food stands, handing out the snacks. There was plenty to go around, and it did kind of act as advertising for the cafe. After all, if the kids liked the food here, then they would hopefully pester their parents into visiting the museum, perhaps even taking in a tour some time.

Kendall had started to notice a worrying trend though; there were a lot of kids. That wasn't to be unexpected, it was a day largely marketed to kids, but there were a LOT of kids...and looking around, she was starting to notice a distinct lack of adults, a rather worrying lack of adults if she was honest. In fact, looking around now, unless the average mother in Amber Beach was in the habit of giving birth to an entire soccer team, it seemed unlikely all these kids were here with their parents! A quick glance to the entrance allowed her to see a couple dropping off their kids, and leaving, almost FLEEING, telling their kids they would be back to pick them up later! Now it made sense why Dino Fun Day was such a success each year, it looked like a lot of parents used it each year as a free crèche service on a weekend, where they knew their kids would be kept busy and fed!

She should have started to round up the excess kids and start looking for their parents, but she couldn't really bring herself to concentrate on that as she sat in the sand-pit, near a couple of really young kids that were digging around a section of spinal column. The museum didn't have a day-care licence, they weren't meant to admit kids without parental supervision. Potentially it was an insurance nightmare, a law suit waiting to happen if one of the kids hurt themselves! However, even now, she couldn't really bring herself to concentrate. She couldn't help going over in her mind her conversation with Mrs Griffin.

She caught a glance of Matt a little way off, playing with some of the kids that had already abandoned the sand-pit, keeping them occupied until they could be convinced to give digging another go. It was a new experience for her, she had sworn off dating for years, between the guys at High School that just thought of her as a nerd, and the men she worked with in the field, many of whom seemed to have little regard for her. She could still remember some jackass from New Zealand who "co-wrote" some papers with her on the Pleisozord, only to "neglect" to put her name on the journals when they were published, all because he knew at the time she was just a Grad Student and he was a respected professor and her word would mean little against his if she tried to contest the authorship of the papers. She knew she had been attracted to Matt, right from the moment she met him. She still wished they'd had a better first meeting than him picking her up out of the mud after she'd slipped on dung at the farm. She couldn't believe it when he made it clear that he was attracted to her as well.

Mrs Griffin was concerned about the relationship...if it could be called that. Kendall still wasn't really sure if a few stolen make-out sessions in secret and a couple of dates could really be called a 'relationship', but she had to appreciate Mrs Griffin's concern. Her main concern was the fact that they hadn't told Riley, but if she was honest, she still wasn't even sure if there was anything to tell him yet. However, she could understand that Mrs Griffin just had a mother's concern for her two sons. Riley and Matt were so close; they didn't keep anything from each other. She already knew it still irritated Matt that Riley hadn't told him about becoming a Ranger until it couldn't be denied any longer. If Riley found out for himself, would he see it as Matt getting back at him? Would this start a feud between them? The last thing she wanted to do was hurt either of them, but she still wasn't sure if there was really anything to tell him beyond it being an intense crush. It wasn't as if she and Matt had really discussed anything of any kind of future or even what this really was to them.

She got the distraction she needed as she noticed a little girl in front of her starting to shovel sand into her hat. Apparently bored with digging for bones, she was filling her hat for...OK; Kendall really didn't know WHY she would do that. She leaned across, close to the little girl.

"Hey, hey, hey, that is a hat, not a bucket!" She said, smiling in the hopes of not provoking the girl. She wasn't altogether sure how to deal with kids. She generally didn't have much to do with them. Sure, kids went on tours of the museum, but always with their parents nearby to deal with discipline. The girl just put her spade down and turned to Kendall, crossing her arms defiantly and blowing a raspberry, before carrying on. Kendall just stared at her in disbelief, before shaking her head and muttering under her breath. "No wonder your parents took the chance to dump you here for the day."

"Hey little lady, the sun's a little bit warm out to be going without a hat." Matt greeted the young girl, kneeling down next to her and smiling. He let a kid slide off his back and into the sand pit, where he picked up his shovel and started digging again. He took Kendall's hat off her head and put it on the little girl. "We wouldn't want you to get sun stroke or anything would we?"

"So, what about me?" Kendall asked. Matt just thought about it for a moment, before taking off his own hat, and putting it on her. Kendall smiled brightly as he did this.

"I'm used to working outdoors." He assured her. "Just take care of it now."

With that, he left. Kendall watched him go, still smiling dreamily, until she turned back to the little girl who was just staring at her with a silly little smirk. Kendall just humphed.

"Oh, what would you know?" She asked her. "You think a hat is a bucket."

Over at the entrance, Ivan and Shelby finally returned to the Fossil Fun Day, having spent a bit longer than expected to get him something suitable to wear. All the modern fabrics and styles seemed to fascinate him. Even when he wasn't wearing armour, the clothing of his time was all hand-made, and the materials were much cruder. There was a much smaller selection of colours and styles to choose from. In the end, Shelby had to take over and remind him that he didn't have a lot of money of his own, and they were limited by what she could lend him until he started to get paid...which limited the wardrobe a fair bit. Still, it looked like she had picked out a good fit for him.

"Ivan, you look fancy!" Koda greeted him, coming over with Alessandra. He looked him up and down, at which Ivan just posed for him.

"Oh, I know." Ivan responded as Chase, Riley and Allison came over to see what the commotion was.

"Hm...looking suave my man!" Chase complimented him.

"Well, it was my lady who chose my wardrobe." He informed them. That, unfortunately was just when Tyler arrived. He had heard these last words, Ivan referring to Shelby as 'his lady', and while he had heard him use similar greetings before, he couldn't help feeling a little anger swell up in him. He unfortunately let some of it out, and as soon as he said it, realised it was over the tiniest of issues.

"Hey! Isn't that my jacket?" He asked. The Rangers just looked between the two of them. They were indeed wearing identical coats, something that amused them slightly. Shelby didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, doesn't it look great?" She asked. That didn't sit well with Tyler at all, but he had already blurted out what sounded like a pretty stupid thing to complain about, even to him. Especially when, if he was honest, the jacket was the furthest thing from his mind.

"I humbly admit, I do wear it well!" Ivan said with a cocky little smile that Tyler just wanted to see wiped from his face.

"Oh, good to see you Allison." Shelby greeted Chase's girlfriend as she saw her. "It's great to see you here."

"Hey, just try and keep an Aussie away from a good barbecue." She stated as she pulled into Chase. "Especially one with such a cute chef."

"And who exactly is this?" Shelby asked, seeing the girl with Koda. Alessandra was on the spot again, being spoken to directly. Koda interjected.

"Her name Alessandra." He introduced her. "She train at gym with me. She wrestler?"

"Really? You're a wrestler?" Riley asked. He noticed her size and build. Shelby then took another look, using her hand to cover part of Alessandra's face. She suddenly gasped.

"No WAY!" She rushed out. "You're..."

Alessandra held up a hand to silence her. She nodded as she came in closer.

"I not use that name when not in mask." She explained in her broken, stilted English. "Identity very important."

In Mexico, wrestlers often wrestled under masks. It was a tradition that went back to ancient times where the native warriors would wear elaborate masks in battle. It was something that carried through to the entertainment world of Pro Wrestling even today. The mask was considered such an important part of their character that it wasn't unknown for some wrestlers to wear their masks at all times in public. The greatest example of how important the mask was would be the Mask vs. Mask match. A match that often ended feuds, since the removal of the mask was taken as a great shame to the loser. Such was the power of the tradition that in general if a wrestler ever LOST their mask in such a match, they would never wear it again. The Rangers all looked to each other, finding it hard not to find it funny that Alessandra was explaining to THEM the importance of a secret identity.

"Yeah, well, you don't need to worry; your secret is safe with us." Tyler assured her. He noticed the sling, and realised she was injured. Looking to the patch of mud, he got an idea.

"Say, Ivan, would you mind helping the lady here? It's a little slippery." Tyler told him.

"It would be my pleasure. Any friend of Koda's is a friend of mine!" Ivan assured him, taking Alessandra by the arm, while Koda helped him guide her. He noticed the patch of mud and stopped, musing for a moment. "Never fear, a Knight of Zandar is here. Chivalry is NOT dead my lady!"

With that, he took off his coat and laid it down over the mud, and gestured her to walk over it. Alessandra looked to him a little confused, but then proceeded to do as he suggested. Tyler waited until she was crossing, before waving to the queue that was waiting.

"Come on, step right up! Enter right through here; keep it moving, courtesy of the Knight of Zandar." He instructed them before Ivan could retrieve his coat. Ivan just stood, watching as his brand new coat was trampled further and further into the mud. He finally forced a smile as Shelby and the others went inside to resume their duties taking care of the kids.

"Well played Tyler!" He forced through his teeth, glaring at him. "Well played indeed!"

Tyler just turned, deliberately swishing his own, unspoiled coat as he went back to the entrance table, while Ivan just headed inside to oversee the kids. Alessandra just watched the Ranger disperse, before looking to Koda.

"Your friends, very strange." She stated. Koda just nodded.

"Yes, they strange." He agreed. "But, I like."

"I like too." She agreed with a smile, following Koda as he went back to enjoying the day.

Wrench and Smokescreen waited for their opportunity, waiting until it looked like there were no more people heading into the enclosure. Fortunately, with so much going on, it looked like no one was really paying much attention to the parking lot. Hopefully, with all the junk food and all the kids running riot with little to no supervision, they would be able to rectify their error.

"I can't believe you didn't set the timer!" Wrench grumbled as they looked around. Wrench finally saw the Red Ranger's car. Unfortunately...it had been moved! Now, it was only feet away from the entrance, and while the Red Ranger was distracted, he would easily be able to see the jeep from his position at the entrance, especially now it looked like most of the kids coming had already arrived. He set up a deck chair and sat with a soda, waiting for any late arrivals. "Look, there's the Red Ranger's car!"

"You mean right there by the entrance?" Smokescreen asked. "Right by the Red Ranger?"

"He'll see us for sure if we approach, this is your fault!" Wrench complained. "Well, now we get to see if you're as much use as you say you are!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Smokescreen asked in an irritated tone.

"What have you been bragging about all day?" Wrench asked him. "Now we need your disgusting fog!"

"Ah, and you thought you could do this alone!" Smokescreen taunted him. "Good thing I ate beans!"

"Good thing I can turn off my sense of smell." Wrench muttered, activating a control on his armour. Smokescreen just squatted down, and straining as hard as he could, unleashed a tremendous cloud of thick, red fog.

In the enclosure, Matt was helping a kid unearth one of the bones he had just dug up, smiling as he did so.

"Wow, now THIS is a real find!" He complimented him. "Do you know what this is?"

The kid just stared blankly at him.

"It's a rib!" Matt told him. "Can you imagine what caveman barbecues were like if they had ribs this size?" He started to pretend to eat from it, at which the kid started laughing. Matt handed over the bone, at which the kid just smiled as he ran off with his find to show off to his friends. Matt just stood up.

"You know, the Stegasaurus died out millions of years before the first men walked the Earth right?" She asked him. Matt just smiled.

"I do." He answered. "But the kid doesn't need to know that just yet. I figure this version's a little more fun for him right now."

He started to put his arm around her, but she pulled away, casting a glance over to where Mrs Griffin was helping some other kids with the digging. Matt just looked to her.

"Is it something I did?" He asked her. "I know you like your details but..."

"No, it's not that, the kids can believe the cave men all had dinosaurs that acted like family dogs right now." Kendall told him.

"Then...what is it?" He asked her.

"Can we not talk about this now?" She asked him.

"So, there IS something to talk about?" He asked her. She just sighed.

"Matt, can we just talk later?" She asked him.

"That stinks." He stated. Kendall just looked aghast.

"I really don't think..."

"No, I mean...do you smell that?" He asked her. It was only then that Kendall started to notice a pungent, disgusting stench in the air. Looking around, it looked like everyone had noticed. A thick, red fog was hanging in the air. Kendall and the others assembled.

"What is that?" Allison asked. "It really reeks."

"Yes, smell really bad." Alessandra agreed.

"Did anyone even see where it came from?" Tyler asked. Riley just looked to where the fog was thickest.

"It seems to be coming from the parking lot." He told them. Kendall thought about it for a moment.

"Well, it doesn't seem to be harmful, just...unpleasant." Kendall commented, gesturing to the Rangers. "You guys check it out. Matt, can you and the others help me keep the crowd as far away from this as possible until it clears?"

"Alright people, can you all please kindly start to back away?" Matt announced.

"I'm very sorry about this; it looks like someone decided to play some kind of prank." Kendall announced. "The fog should dissipate soon, but until it does, can you all just back away from the worst of it? My team is checking out the source, we should know what it is soon."

"This is disgusting; I certainly hope you will be giving me a full refund!" A particularly grumpy parent snapped as they were all corralled as far from the fog as possible in the enclosure. Kendall just rolled her eyes.

"Refund what exactly? The event was free!" She reminded him as she helped the others move the crowd away.


	14. Wrench's Plan Uncovered

Wrench was grateful for the increased abilities of his optics as he made his way to Tyler's jeep. The red fog was so thick that it was next to impossible to see more than a couple of feet without it. He could already see a couple of people walking blindly through the fog. The one closest to him, he recognised as the Blue Ranger. He was grateful for the fog's pungent smell as Koda waved his hands around trying to tough something as a point of reference. Among his tracking instincts was an impressive sense of smell, one that had hampered their plans a few times when they attempted to ambush the Rangers. As he saw Koda moving away from him though, he was convinced that he had no idea he was so close.

"Finally, that Smokescreen is useful for something." Wrench whispered to himself as he finally got to Tyler's car. "I can't believe he forgot to set the timer!"

He pulled back the cloth and started to tap keys on the control panel, putting in the individual 9 digit PIN code that only he knew to activate it. He started to set the timer. He knew he had to strike a balance. He didn't want to set the timer for too long and risk someone discovering the bomb in time to evacuate. Of course if he didn't set the timer for long enough, he risked not getting away himself!

He looked towards Smokescreen who was waiting for him to return. He could see the disgusting monster had stopped pumping out fog, which meant it would eventually start to dissipate. As he saw him though, he remembered the way Smokescreen tried to wrest the credit for his plan for himself. He looked to the timer, which he was setting He had initially set it for 30 minutes, thinking that if they got away without being seen, then the Rangers would be too distracted with the Fossil Fun Day to find it by chance. The next time the Red Ranger would have any reason to go to his car was when it was time to go home, and by then, everything in a 50 mile radius would be reduced to rubble! He had a second thought though; he didn't need anything LIKE 30 minutes to get out of the blast zone with the transport pod. Of course, if someone, say Smokescreen somehow 'accidentally' didn't get to the drop pod in time...he re-set the timer for only ten minutes, synchronising it with his own internal chronometer. What a shame it would be if something happened to Smokescreen after he was so 'helpful', leaving Wrench as the sole beneficiary of Sledge's gratitude.

"The fog, I think it's starting to let up." Ivan said as he was finally able to see more than an arm's length in front of himself. He managed to see someone up ahead, but it didn't look like anyone he should recognise. He remained quiet; there was no point in alerting the other party too early. As far as he was aware, the others had entered the fog behind him. If there was someone up ahead, perhaps it was whoever had created this foul gas.

"Hey, guys, someone's here!" Tyler called out, seeing someone moving around in the fog a little way off. Suddenly, the other figure started moving towards him, fast! Tyler responded in kind, throwing himself at him, beginning to grapple with him. The two struggled for a time. Whoever this guy was though was good. He moved far quicker than Tyler anticipated, and before long, he was in a painful arm-lock, being forced to his knees. He felt his shoulder starting to strain as he tried to resist.

"I've got him I say!" Ivan declared proudly.

"You've got ME you idiot!" Tyler responded, in a mixture of frustration and disappointment. It was bad enough he had failed to catch the monster, but to end up losing to Ivan just seemed to make it worse. "Get off!"

Ivan released Tyler, allowing him to get up just as the fog started to dissipate. Now that they could see, the other Rangers joined them. Ivan realised he was holding something, and looking down; he saw it was a long piece of leather. He looked back up to where Tyler was glaring at him, far from amused.

"Great, you ruined my jacket." Tyler grumbled. Ivan just smirked at him.

"Actually, I think it rather suits you now." Ivan responded. "And turnabout IS fair play."

"Uh, guys, while you two were messing around...they're getting away!" Shelby interrupted them, pointing to where Wrench and Smokescreen were running away.

"Halt you vile creatures!" Ivan barked at the top of his lungs. They both turned, seeing the Rangers running right for them.

"So much for your fog, you were meant to over our escape!" Wrench yelled.

"I only had ONE portion of beans, it's not my fault Sledge is so stingy with his rations!" Smokescreen replied as they took to heel, running as fast as they could.

"Well, there is ONE thing at least." Wrench grumbled. "If the Rangers are chasing us, they won't be looking for the bomb."

Back in the main area, the smog had at last dissipated. Kendall could see the others running off, and could guess that it was Ranger business related. They wouldn't just dessert her with all these kids to look after if it wasn't important. At least, she HOPED they wouldn't. She suddenly found herself with a lot of kids, and a few adults staring at her, and realised she had to somehow come up with an explanation. She forced a nervous smile.

"Well, it seems...uh...someone played a little prank on us." Kendall said, trying to think of something, anything at all. "That was clearly just some kind of harmless stink bomb."

"THAT was a stink bomb?" A parent asked sceptically. It did seem rather large for a typical stink bomb.

"The local college is on break, the lab students sometimes get a little playful when they have too much time on their hands." Kendall said, trying to keep up the party line. "Some of my staff are trying to track them down as we speak. In the meantime, why don't we all get back to having some fun?"

The kids all started heading back to their business. Kendall breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that they had bought her explanation.

"So, it's down to just the three of us." Mrs Griffin stated. Kendall just sighed.

"It looks like it." She responded.

"Make that four!" Allison added. "I grew up with barbecue; I can help out on the grill."

"Thanks, that'll be a big help." Kendall answered. "I'll make it up to you somehow."

"I think Chase will have that covered when he gets back." Allison said with a grin, heading back to the grill. Kendall just looked to Matt and his mother.

"Well, I guess we're babysitting then." She answered as they all started to make their rounds. She paused for a moment, staring the direction she had seen the Rangers go.

"I really hope you guys get back quickly." She whispered, before hearing a couple of yells. She looked to see two kids playing tug-of-war over a rib-bone. She rolled her eyes as she went to try and break it up. "Really? There are over two hundred bones in the dinosaur's body, there's plenty for everyone!"

"It was mine first!" One of the kids yelled, pulling it away from the other. Kendall tried to intervene, but only ended up with a kick in the shin for her trouble. She grabbed her shin in pain, looking to the other kid who was upset. She just looked to him and guided him back to the sand pit.

"Come on, let's get you another one." She said in a defeated tone.

A little way off though, the two strangers had seen pretty much everything. One of them smiled.

"Alright, that pretty much confirms it." He told the other. "Come; let's go see him in action."

"Can't you just wait until you get back?" His companion asked. "I was going to get a hot dog."

"You still want to eat after THAT?" The other asked. His companion just shrugged, before following him in pursuit of the Rangers.

"Given YOUR taste in pizza, I didn't think anything would spoil your appetite." The other responded.

At a nearby construction site, Wrench and Smokescreen were still running, looking for signs of the Rangers. They knew they couldn't be far behind them.

"Get to the ship before that bomb blows up the whole city!" Wrench said, rounding a digger, to where they had hidden a transport pod under some tarpaulin. "Here, this is my pod!"

"No time to argue, we'll BOTH go in it!" Smokescreen replied. Wrench would have said something, but that gave him a thought. Why would Smokescreen want to share a pod? Was it possible he had forgotten where his pod was in the panic of running? This was better than he thought. He was hoping to disable his pod remotely, creating an "accident" that would leave him in the blast radius, but this...this would be better! It wouldn't be a mechanical failure that might be blamed on Wrench as the chief mechanic; Smokescreen's unfortunate fate would be down to his own carelessness.

"If you think I'm getting in a confined space with YOU, you're mistaken!" Wrench responded, shoving him to the ground. "Besides, you have plenty of time to get to your own pod!"

"Wait, come back!" Smoke screen begged as he saw Wrench blasting off into the distance, leaving him behind. "Being a leader is so lonely. Shit! What did I do with that stupid transport pod? Did I leave it by the crane? No, that wasn't it..."

"Stopped running have you toad wart?" Ivan asked as he stepped out from the ranks, just as the Rangers arrived. Tyler just glared at him. "Running from us will not be your salvation!"

"Whatever that means." Tyler muttered. "You know, insults only work if the other guy understands what you're saying right?"

"Guys, is this really the time to have a pissing contest?" Chase reprimanded them. "Let's do this AFTER we deal with the monster alright?"

"Sounds good to me!" Shelby groaned. "Dino Charger, READY!"

Back at the museum, the day was going well, all things considered. Although they were now down to only four helpers, they were all managing to take care of things. Alessandra went to the grill, looking over the food on offer.

"So, what'll it be?" Allison asked her. Alessandra just shook her head.

"Not know, just...looking." She responded, before looking to her. "Where Koda?"

"Oh, um...he and the others went to find whoever made that smelly mist." She told her. She could see the way Alessandra was acting, the way she had kept her distance from others after Koda had left. "You don't know many people here do you?"

"Know lots of people." Alessandra put down flatly. Allison just stared at her. "Know lots of people...at gym."

"I guess you'd feel a little better if Koda was around huh?" She asked. Alessandra just nodded. "Well, I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Allison noticed Alessandra looking back to all the kids running around and playing. A group were running around, playing a spirited game of tag with Matt, while Kendall oversaw the digging, making sure there were no more repeats of the fight over the rib. She was currently cleaning her glasses and wiping sand from her face after getting too close to one kid who was digging a little too enthusiastically. She saw Alessandra smiling a little.

"So, you're having fun?" She asked.

"Just remembering home." Alessandra replied. Allison nodded.

"I think a lot of my home too. When dad brought us out here I swore I'd never speak to him again." She recalled. "America's not so bad once you get used to it."

"I still learning." Alessandra replied. Allison just put a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, if you ever need to talk to a fellow immigrant, feel free to call me." She replied.

Over at the site of the battle, the two strangers arrived, taking up a safe vantage point. They had arrived after the Rangers had morphed, and were already locked in battle. Smokescreen had called on some viviks for help.

"Now THIS brings back memories doesn't it?" One of them asked. The other just smiled.

"So, are we joining them?" He asked.

"Let's leave it to them for now." The other replied, looking over to where Ivan was making short work of some viviks. "For now, I'd just like to do some scouting."

"Worried you've lost a step?" His companion asked. He just glared at him.

"I believe it was you that taught me the value of preparation in battle." He answered. "If I am calling him out, I'd like an idea of what he can do."

The Rangers were struggling a little with the fight. Not that they weren't used to fighting viviks by now, but because Smokescreen kept releasing small amounts of his fog. Riley cut down some Viviks with his Raptor Claw, before covering his face with his arm.

"Man, this reeks!" He complained. "Just as well we're out in the open or this would be so much worse!"

"I'm going to be showering for a week!" Shelby complained, taking some of the creatures apart with her Tricera Drill. "What does this guy eat?"

"Weaponised farts?" Chase grumbled, using his Para Chopper as a club, wary that firing it could spark an explosion. He'd seen Youtube videos of people attempting to light their own flatulence and figured this guy would only be a lot worse. "It looks like Sledge is taking a page out of Ms Morgan's playbook."

"Remind me to throw away that Dino Charger when we get home." Riley answered.

Tyler was battling Smokescreen, swinging for him with his Tyranno Smasher. However, it seemed Smokescreen had more to offer than merely weapons-grade flatulence. He managed to catch Tyler off-guard, flipping him to the floor, and bringing down his sword, which Tyler was only just able to catch.

"There's more to me than just my fog!" He taunted the Red Ranger.

"A little help?" He asked, looking around, but his friends were all busy. Suddenly, he felt Smokescreen falling away, and looked up to see Ivan standing in his defence. He couldn't help thinking he'd have preferred anyone else to help him, wondering how he was going to live this down. Ivan though, just offered him a hand to get up.

"Are you too proud to accept a hand?" Ivan asked. "I believe it was you that said I should do the same not so long ago."

Tyler didn't know whether to hate Ivan for using his own words against him, or to be grateful for the help. He accepted the latter, taking his hand and getting back up.

"Listen, I can't compete with the armour or the horses, or the accent..."

"Tyler, I have many qualities you do not, but you have many I do not as well." He assured Tyler. "I am a knight, born of noble birth, and yet here that counts for very little. You were chosen as the Red Ranger, and that is something I cannot compete with."

"If you two are done flirting, can we get on with this?" Smokescreen asked, keenly aware of the fact the clock was quite literally ticking. "You've had smoke, now have some fire!"

Tyler and Ivan avoided his energy blast, before the others multi-teamed him, smashing him into some construction equipment. Smokescreen stared to look around frantically for his missing escape pod.

"Where is that damned escape pod?" He screamed. "I need to get out of here before that bomb in the jeep goes off and levels the city!"

"BOMB?" The Rangers all chorused together.

"They...they must have planted a bomb at the museum!" Shelby stated, fumbling to get out her Dino Comm. No wonder they were so desperate to leave, this was all just a distraction! Ms Morgan? Ms Morgan, come in!"

Back at the Fossil Fun Day, Kendall was beginning to really feel the strain of the day. The constant screaming and shouting was starting to give her a migraine, her shin was badly bruised and hurt like hell, and she was starting to wonder where the kids got all their energy as they all ran around her in circles, meaning that before she could even reach one crisis, another started. She caught two boys fencing with their shovels, and had tried to intervene, but all that resulted in was both boys turning on her. She was desperately trying to fend them off.

"Both at once?" She complained as they swung for her, forcing her to defend herself against them with a shovel, keenly aware that they were kids, and not monsters she could really fight back against. "Oh come on!"

"Never fear my lady!" Matt said as he came over, carrying another shovel. He started to fend off the kids, giving Kendall a bit of room. It was only then she noticed that her Dino Comm was going off. She answered it.

"Well, this day just turned into my personal Hell." She said, exhausted as she answered. "How could this get any worse?"

"Ms Morgan, there's a bomb in the museum!" Shelby rushed out. Kendall face-palmed.

"I had to ask!" She grumbled.

"Ms Morgan, this was all just a distraction, the monster said he planted a bomb in a jeep." Shelby told her. Kendall thought about it for a moment.

"There are only two jeeps here, the museum jeep and Tyler's." She responded. "I'll check it out!"

"Check what out?" Matt asked as he finally got rid of the two wannabe knights. Kendall gestured him closer.

"A monster planted a bomb here." Kendall told him. She saw the look on his face, but put a hand over his mouth. "We can't afford to cause a panic, not until we know what we're up against."

"We should get the kids out of here." Matt told her. She just sighed.

"I'd love that, but the last thing we need is a panic. That'll just make everything worse."

She ran out into the parking lot, picking up her bag on the way. Matt was close behind her. She went to Tyler's jeep since it was close to the park, and started to search. It didn't take long for her to find what they were looking for.

"Wrench, you piece of shit!" She exclaimed. Matt saw the timer, which was already down to less than four minutes.

"Kendall, we have to get the kids..."

"It won't make a difference, the size of this thing there's no way we'd get them far enough away before it went off." Kendall told him. "If I know Wrench, it's probably more than strong enough to level the city!"

"So what do we do?" He asked her. Kendall pulled a small toolkit out of her bag, taking out a small screwdriver and looking to the control panel. "Wait, you carry a toolkit in your bag?"

"We hope Wrench isn't smarter than me." Kendall told him.


	15. The Challenge

The Rangers had Smokescreen on the ropes, and were rounding on him as Shelby was able to re-join them.

"I've got a hold of Ms Morgan; she says she's on it." Shelby told them. Tyler just nodded in response.

"Great, then all we don't need this guy anymore." He responded. "Let's finish him together!"

Tyler, Chase, Riley, Koda and Shelby assembled the Dino Spike, while Ivan put three Dino Chargers into his Ptera Sabre. They faced down the monster, who was flailing on his back like a turtle, struggling to turn over to get back up.

"Ready for this Ivan?" Tyler asked him.

"Indeed Tyler!" He responded. "Let us see an end to this stinking scallywag."

"Final STRIKE!" They all called out together. Tyler launched into the air, throwing the Dino Spike as hard as he could, while Ivan cast out a lightning bolt. Smokescreen hit the side of a mountain, before exploding, ending his first life. From their vantage point, one of the two strangers looked to the other and smiled.

"Power over lightning?" He asked. "Now, isn't THAT interesting."

"I guess it just makes this all the more challenging." The other replied. "Come on, let's get out of here. If things go the way they did back in our day, all we're going to see now is a Zord battle, and those are usually boring."

Back on Sledge's ship, Wrench arrived, stepping out of his transport pod. He was greeted by Sledge as he arrived.

"Where's Smokescreen?" He demanded.

"He isn't back yet?" Wrench asked, mocking concern. "He was right behind me! Maybe..."

"There aren't any other pods coming. It's no huge loss anyway." Sledge replied. "All he did was stink up G block anyway."

Just then, an alarm sounded. Sledge looked to Wrench.

"What is that?" He asked. Wrench went to his control console, and brought up an image on the screen.

"Someone's tampering with the bomb!" He replied, checking out the alarm. "It's the blonde one that hangs out with them!"

"The scientist?" Sledge responded, shoving Wrench out of the way. "Can she defuse the bomb?"

"Of course not, I created it with numerous back-up..." Wrench tailed off as he saw the display indicate one of the back-ups had de-activated. "She...she actually got through one of them!"

"She better not..."

"Let me in!" Wrench told him, taking a seat by the console and starting to type keys. "No one messes with my tech and gets away with it! If it's a fight she wants, it's a fight she'll get!"

Back at the museum, Kendall was working away on the bomb, while Matt paced back and forth near her. He couldn't shake the thought that right now, they were both standing right next to a bomb that was steadily ticking down, and was now scheduled to go off in less than three minutes.

"It's in the car!" Matt suggested. "Maybe I could drive it..."

"This jeep has a top speed of about 80 miles an hour; even if you could get it up to 150 you'd never get the bomb far enough away!" Kendall cut him off. "It was the first thing I thought of...and could you PLEASE stop pacing? It is really distracting!"

"So, are you close to...?"

"I'm working on it!" Kendall interrupted him. "He had to have a way to turn this off in case he couldn't get away and...SHIT!"

"What? What is it?" He asked.

"The next fail safe is a sealed unit, there's no way to get into...what are all these letters?" She asked. "H, K, Na..."

"Word puzzles?" He asked her. "Maybe he wants you to spell out a password?"

"No, they're elements from the periodic table!" Kendall replied, analysing them. "There are only about twenty though...the only ones that are all there are the noble gases!"

She punched in all the noble gases in order, at which the panel slid aside. Underneath was another display, showing a puzzle comprised of a selection of colours. She moved a section to the side, confirming the coloured squares moved.

"Damn it, I always hated these things." Kendall stated. She started sliding the squares around, trying to align the colours.

"Are you sure...?"

"I could solve a Rubik's cube in under a minute by the time I was 11." Kendall assured him as she slid the last tile into place. The console slid aside, revealing another puzzle. "You REALLY want to play Wrench? Let's play!"

Up on the ship, Sledge hit the magna beam, growing Smokescreen while Wrench worked on his console, checking up on his counter measures.

"She's smart for a human, but there's no way she can figure out...how the hell did she figure that out?" He complained.

"Is she close to defusing the bomb?" Sledge asked him.

"Not a chance, there's no way she can...Oh come ON! How did she ever figure that one out?" He continued.

"How many more safe guards are there?" Sledge asked.

"Two!" Wrench told him.

"Make that THREE!" Sledge responded, hitting the Magna Beam. "Let's see her defuse the bomb when she can't reach the control panel!"

Kendall swept an errant strand of hair from her eyes as she struggled with the latest puzzle.

"HA! Pi to thirteen decimal places!" Kendall stated as she completed the puzzle. Suddenly, she was snatched away, finding herself on the grassy verge next to the parking lot, just as the magna beam hit the bomb. It grew to a huge size, crushing Tyler's jeep completely. Matt landed on top of her.

"Matt, the bomb!" She yelled out. Hearing the commotion, a lot of people started to come out of the park into the parking lot, seeing the device. Kendall went to the bomb, and started jumping, but couldn't quite get to the console. It was just out of reach, and the smooth, spherical casing offered no hand grips. "Matt, I need to work on this, maybe you should...WHOA!"

She was caught off guard as Matt grabbed her, lifting her up. He put a hand under one of her feet, pushing her up as far as he could. "Matt, what the hell are you doing?"

"You need to be able to reach right?" He asked, making sure his grip was secure. "Well, that's one thing I can help with."

"You need to get out of..."

"I'm not going anywhere!" He put down flatly. "Now, can you please defuse the bomb before they start finding pieces of us in the Antarctic!"

"A little higher please." Kendall responded. Matt helped her up, allowing her to see the panel. She couldn't help noticing that Matt's hand ended up on her butt as he tried to balance her so that she wouldn't fall. She looked to the bomb, seeing the last panel had a keyboard and a screen. She furrowed her brows reading it.

"What the hell?" She asked.

"What is it?" Matt asked her. She just looked long and hard.

"It's...it makes no sense." She told him. "It's a riddle."

"Well, figure it out then!" Matt told her.

"But...it makes no sense!" She told him, punching some keys in, getting an error message. "It's a four letter word, but..."

"Well, what does it say?" He asked her.

"I begin as sustenance, but when applied to the earth I help provide it." Kendall read aloud. "What is that meant to...?"

"SHIT!" Matt said aloud.

"Matt, that really isn't helping..."

"No, the answer is SHIT!" He told her. "On the farm, we use manure to fertilise soil! We feed the cattle, they do their business, then we use it to fertilise the crops!"

"Wrench, you sneaky bastard!" Kendall replied, punching in the code. The screen flashed, and the timer went dark. Kendall smiled as she saw this, throwing her arms up in triumph.

"YES!" She yelled in triumph, before a huge explosion a little way off rocked the whole city. The Rangers had just finished off Smokescreen with their latest Zord configuration. Kendall let out a scream as she started to fall, but Matt quickly caught her as she fell. Kendall ended up looking up at him in his arms.

"You did it!" He said as he looked down to her smiling.

"We did it." She answered with a smile. Looking up to him, it occurred to her, even though she knew the blast would be too large for him to escape, even though she knew they were all dead anyway if she failed, it never once occurred to him to even try to leave. "You...you stayed."

"Where else would I be?" He asked her. Kendall reached around behind his head, pulling him in and kissing him deeply; raising some cheers from the kids that until now she hadn't even noticed were still there. Her Dino Comm bleeped.

"Miss Morgan, the monster's dealt with!" Tyler told her. "The bomb...?"

"It's dealt with!" She responded. "The timer's stopped, but a big enough impact might trigger it, I'll dismantle it..."

"Is that...IS THAT MY JEEP?" Tyler yelled through the Dino Comm. Kendall just looked to it, then back to him.

"Um...unfortunately yes." She answered. Tyler let out a huge yell.

"A big enough impact huh?" He asked. "Keep everyone away from the bomb, we're coming in fast!"

"To do what exactly?" Kendall asked him.

"To shove it straight up Sledge's ass!" Tyler called out as they heard jets. Kendall just looked to Matt.

"Uh...you can put me down now." She told him. Matt did as he was told, at which Kendall and Matt started ordering people to get back. The Ptera Megazord soared down, picking up the bomb, before flying up into the air, disappearing just as quickly as they had arrived. Kendall found herself looking back to Matt, who was just staring at her.

"You were amazing." He stated. "You didn't run...you were sitting on top of a ticking bomb trying to save everyone."

"You didn't leave either." Kendall answered. "You...you were there with me?"

"Where else would I be?" He asked her. Kendall cast a look over to Mrs Griffin, who was just looking at them both with a smile on her face. She adjusted her glasses and looked up to him.

"Matt...There's something we need to talk about." She told him.

"Oh." He answered. "Is this one of those discussions that should end with me buying a bottle of Jack?"

"No, it's nothing like that." She replied. "It's time we just came clean about what we are."

"And...what are we?" He asked her. Kendall took his hand in hers.

Up on Sledge's ship, Sledge and Wrench watched as the timer expired, but there was no explosion. The bomb didn't detonate as it was intended to. Sledge looked to Wrench, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Well?" He asked.

"She's HUMAN!" He protested. "How could she possibly have figured out all my puzzles...?"

"Well, clearly she did!" Sledge roared at him. "Now, detonate the bomb!"

"What?" Wrench asked.

"Blow up the bomb!" Sledge told him. Wrench just stared at him wordlessly. "You DID put in a remote detonator didn't you?"

"I...I didn't think I needed one!" Wrench stated. Just then, the intercom bleeped. Both of them just stared at it. Sledge hit the button.

"Who is this?" He asked. They pulled up the hail on screen, seeing the Red Ranger.

"We have something of yours!" Tyler sneered as he punched in some commands. "By the way, YOU OWE ME A NEW JEEP YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

With that, the Megazord threw the bomb straight at Sledge's ship. It collided with the hull, setting off a blast that sheared off a huge chunk of it, sending debris spinning off into space. The fire-extinguishers triggered, putting out the few flames in the control room. Sledge threw some wreckage off himself and dusted himself off, glaring at Wrench.

"So, you didn't THINK to put in a remote detonator?" He asked. Wrench took that as his cue to run as fast as he could before Sledge could find his blaster.

Back on Earth, things were starting to calm down after the Fossil Fun Day. Fortunately, the majority of the kids' parents had indeed treated it as a free crèche day meaning that Kendall didn't have to buy too many parents' silence with comp. Museum tours and meals. He wasn't too bothered though, the day had one benefit. Now, she was finally sure what they were to each other. Now was the time to tell Riley. Kendall had already taken the precaution of closing the museum for the rest of the day, meaning they were on their own.

"I am SO glad that's over." Allison commented as she slumped down onto the table. "I used to think I was hyperactive. Those kids were like AAA batteries! How the hell does something THAT small have so much energy?"

"Tell me about it." Chase answered with a chuckle, putting his arm around her. "You should see my sister Chloe. One bag of Skittles and she could circle the Earth."

"Kids always like that." Alessandra replied, smiling a little. "Remind me a lot of home."

"Hey guys!" Tyler said as he arrived, carrying a large shopping bag. "Say, has anyone seen Ivan?"

"He's in the kitchen." Shelby said with a little smile.

"The kitchen?" He asked. "Really? I thought..."

"I explained the concept of tips to him." Shelby replied with a smile. "When he realised we make as much as security guards, but get tips as well, he suddenly became a lot more open to the idea of serving food."

"Ah, Tyler, you are right on time good sir!" Ivan proclaimed as he arrived, carrying plates of food. He moved one plate past his nose, sniffing it. "One Tuna-Dactyl melt on rye, toasted to perfection just as you desire, Tyler."

"My favourite, thanks!" Tyler replied as he sat down.

"And for the rest of you...grilled cheese." Ivan said, putting down a plate of somewhat uninspiring looking toasted sandwiches. "My apologies...the sandwich toaster is the only appliance I've figured out how to use."

"Well, I too have a surprise for you!" Tyler replied, handing Ivan the bag. Ivan just looked to it, and then to the others, before reaching inside. He pulled out a brand new trench coat just like the one that had been trampled into the dirt earlier. "Yeah, I figured I kind of owed you that. What I did...that was a bit of a dick move, I'm sorry."

"Your humility and grace would serve as an example to a great many knights in my time Tyler. I accept your apology, and your gift." Ivan declared, putting the coat on and admiring himself. "Though I do have to find it unusual you were able to find the same coat."

"I know right? They had like twenty on the rack! I'd have thought they'd be sold out by now!" Tyler answered. "I don't know how they have so many, maybe they over-ordered?"

"Maybe some people have taste." Shelby whispered to Allison, eliciting a small laugh.

"Come Tyler; let us take one of those self portraits together!" Ivan said as he and Tyler stepped away. "I have been hearing about something called a duck-mouth?"

"Those two ARE straight right?" Allison joked. Shelby just sighed, seeing her boyfriend posing with Ivan as they took Selfies.

"I think I preferred it when they DIDN'T get along." She responded. Riley just smiled and shook his head. Seeing his good mood, Kendall figured now was the time to tell him, now that she knew he was in a good mood.

"Riley, there's something that I really need to talk to you about." Kendall told him. "Would you mind...?"

"What, is this about the fact you and my brother have been sucking face for the past couple of months?" He asked. Kendall just stared blankly at him. Matt looked at him just as surprised. "You know, you guys really aren't as sneaky as you think."

"You...you knew?" Kendall asked. "Even we weren't sure..."

"Oh come ON! You're wearing my brother's hat! He never lets anyone else touch that thing! Our dad gave it to him before he died!" Riley answered. "And Matt, BTW, when you update your Facebook status, all your followers see it, so I knew you came to town and didn't tell me. It wasn't too hard to figure out."

"My little brother the kid genius." Matt said, looking impressed.

"So...you don't mind?" Kendall asked him.

"Why would I mind? I know you Ms Morgan; at least I know he's not dating someone I hate." Riley responded.

"So you finally told him?" Chase asked, pulling out ten dollars and handing it to Shelby. "Damn it, if you'd waited until January I'd have won ten bucks!"

"Wait, you ALL knew?" She asked.

"Like I said, you're not as sneaky as you think." Riley replied. "By the way, now you're dating my brother, do I still have to call you Ms Morgan? Or can I call you...?"

"Hey, let's not go crazy!" Kendall insisted as Matt put his arm around her. As they were all laughing, a couple of strangers made their way into the restaurant. Both of them looked well-built, and were wearing long, flowing trench coats. One of them had red hair and freckles, while the other was darker-skinned, with curly, black hair, a moustache and beard.

"I'm sorry gentlemen; we're actually closed right now." Kendall told them. "If you come back..."

"We're here to see Sir Ivan." The red-haired stranger stated. "Sir Ivan of Zandar!"

"You are in his presence." Ivan answered. "What business do you have with me?"

"I am Sir Charles Thorn of Briarwood." Chip replied with a smile. "My companion is Daggeron, Solaris Knight of the Mystic Realm."

"It is an honour to meet you both." Ivan replied.

"Believe me, the honour is all mine." Chip replied. "When I heard you were here, I had to see for myself if the legends of your skill were true."

"I don't like to brag but..."

"I don't either; I want to see it for myself." Chip answered, pulling out a gauntlet and throwing it on the ground. "Tomorrow at dawn, meet me in the forest for a duel."

"I will stand as his second." Daggeron interjected. Everyone just stared at them.

"Uh..did these guys seriously just challenge Ivan to a duel?" Allison asked. Ivan didn't say anything, just picking up the gauntlet.

"I accept Sir Charles. Tomorrow at dawn!" He declared.

"These guys don't know what they're in for!" Riley chuckled, taking a bite out of his grilled cheese.

"Name your second." Chip stated. Ivan just smiled.

"My squire will be my second." He replied. "Riley of Millport."

Riley' mouth just hung open, and part of his sandwich fell onto the plate, he just looked as if Ivan had smacked him in the face with a frying pan.

"Say what now?" He asked.


	16. Dinner Out

It had been a hectic day, and the Rangers were hoping to get a chance to relax. Unfortunately, that was not to be. A couple of unexpected arrivals had just thrown all their plans for a nice, relaxing evening into disarray. Everyone all kept staring at the new arrivals, completely shocked by the fact that two strangers had just walked into the restaurant and challenged Ivan to a duel.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, you want my son to fight in a duel?" Mrs Griffin asked, looking completely stunned. "What kind of..."

"Wait, these guys must be...uh...members of that LARP group Riley was talking about." Chase rushed out. Kendall and the others just stared at him. "Don't you remember, that role play game uh...?"

"Mystic Realm!" Daggeron responded, realising what Chase was doing. Chip looked to him, but Daggeron pulled in close. "Chip, there are more than six people here, I think we're in mixed company."

Chip nodded in understanding. While they knew the Rangers were here, in his excitement to throw out his challenge, Chip had completely missed the fact that there were five other people in the room! Clearly not all of them were Rangers.

"Yes, that's right!" Chip responded. "Sorry, I kind of get really into my character. I should probably have started by explaining."

"A game?" Allison asked. "Aren't you kind of old to be running around playing Dungeons and Dragons?"

"Mystic Realm." Daggeron corrected her, looking to the girl. "Nice skateboard."

"I'll have you know that skateboarding is recognised as a legitimate sport!" She said defensively.

"Look, we obviously interrupted, we're sorry we interrupted, Chip, let's just go." Daggeron responded. "We made our challenge, Ivan accepted, we can pick this up tomorrow. Let's leave these nice people to their meal."

"Until tomorrow then." Chip replied as he took a bow, before leaving. The assembled group just watched them go.

"Wow, those guys take their gaming WAY seriously!" Allison responded. "That big guy was kind of a jerk."

"What exactly is a LARP group?" Mrs Griffin asked.

"Live Action Role Play." Shelby explained, looking to Mrs Griffin. "It's kind of like Dungeons and Dragons or something, but instead of playing with a board and figures and stuff, people get dressed up and act out the parts themselves."

"It's kind of like a cross between gaming and improvisational theatre." Tyler added.

"Improvisational theatre?" Matt asked, looking to Riley with a big smile. "I seem to remember someone running off stage in tears from his school nativity play!"

"I was a kid!" Riley protested. "It's just cruel to expect a six year old to perform live! I couldn't handle the pressure..."

"Riley, you were a tree!" His mother teased him. "It wasn't like you had much to remember."

"Please tell me there are pictures!" Chase begged Mrs Griffin. She just smiled.

"I'll see what I can look out." She promised him.

As they brushed off the challenge, going back to their evening, Riley couldn't help quietly staring at Ivan, wondering what he was getting him into. When Ivan had offered to take him on as a squire, he had always thought of it as an opportunity to learn from a truly legendary warrior, he hadn't even considered the responsibilities that went with it. After all, how many people in this day still went around challenging each other to duels?

Up on Sledge's ship, Wrench was still spending his time running around, trying to avoid Sledge. The alien bounty hunter was still livid. He wasn't overly concerned that Wrench's plan had failed, the real benefit of using the bomb was that even if it DID fail, it didn't really drain much in the way of Sledge's resources. However, there was one part of the plan that he hadn't counted on.

It was inconceivable to him that anyone could counter his programming. The bomb was a work of art, designed with so many counter-measures he was certain no one but him would be able to disarm it. While he had seen the results of Kendall's technology in action a few times, so far his track record...unfortunately it was a little one-sided so far, but he was still unable to fathom how a mere human, a creature that had such a fleeting lifespan would be able to outwit him. Even before he started upgrading himself with cybernetics, he was one of the greatest technical minds in the galaxy, and he'd had millions of years to perfect his craft.

His puzzles, his riddles were so fiendish, he was certain no one would ever be able to solve them in time. So confident was he in his puzzles, he hadn't even thought it necessary to put in a remote trigger. He hadn't left himself the ability to detonate the bomb manually if the timer was somehow stopped. That allowed the Rangers to turn the bomb and use it on THEM! They had launched the bomb back at the ship so hard that it had taken out a significant portion of the ship. At least one whole cell block had been obliterated; it was pure luck that it hadn't sent the reactor core critical. Now, not only had Wrench's plan, through that one oversight, caused a significant amount of damage to the ship, not only had it cost him a monster, but it had actually cost them dozens as one of the cell blocks was blasted apart into space.

While he spent all his time hiding, trying to avoid Sledge's wrath, he felt something even more keenly than the fear that Sledge would find him and take out his frustration on him. He could only fixate on Kendall, the fact that she had defeated him in a battle of wits, and what that had cost him.

"Well, well, fancy finding you running around down here." He heard a voice behind him. He almost jumped straight into the ceiling, terrified that he had been found. As he turned around though, he saw Fury standing behind him. He hadn't seen the feline warrior now for some time, he'd almost forgotten that he was somewhere on the ship.

"Y...y...you!" Wrench stammered in fear, seeing Fury standing before him. He started to back away. Not only was Fury a powerful warrior in his own right, he also had failed Sledge spectacularly. He had gone into hiding after failing to bring the Ptera Zord under control, releasing Ivan into the bargain. "You can't turn me in! Not yet, you have to let me hide until Sledge cools down!"

"Why would I turn you in? You've done me a favour!" Fury sneered, kicking a bucket. It was only then that Wrench noticed he was carrying a mop. "I now have a lot less floors to mop, and apparently I have you to thank for that."

"It's not like it was ALL my fault!" Wrench muttered. "Those Rangers threw the bomb at us!"

"And...why didn't you just detonate it while they were holding it?" He asked. Wrench didn't answer.

"So, you're not going to turn me in?" Fury asked.

"No, right now it's more useful to me to have you in my debt." Fury told him. "Sledge doesn't know this ship as well as he thinks he does. I could hide out in this ship indefinitely if I wanted to."

"So why did you come back?" Wrench asked. "I doubt you woke up one morning and decided you wanted to become the janitor."

"Like it or not, I need to get back into Sledge's good books." Fury replied. "Until I get a chance to prove myself...I have to put up with this."

"I need to prove to sledge I have what it takes!" Wrench told him. "I need a plan, I need something that the Rangers can't fight...I need...I need..."

"You need a new monster." Fury told him. "Your lab is the first place he's going to look for you, which means you aren't exactly going to be doing much tinkering with your little toys for a while."

"So...a monster then?" Wrench asked him. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Well, our options are limited since you just lost us cell blocks D through F." Fury replied. "I'll think about it, in the mean time, the septic tank in B block needs servicing."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Wrench complained. "You want me to service the plumbing?"

"Maybe I should just go and call Sledge..."

"Fine! I'll deal with the septic tank!" Wrench grumbled, following Fury as he went on his way.

Meanwhile, quite a way from the city, Phillipe made good on his promise, taking Margaret out for dinner in the town. By the time he had cleaned up and gotten dressed after training that afternoon, it seemed they were too late for the diner, which meant that they were limited to the local tavern.

Like most of the town, it was quite an old-fashioned building, looking like it was built somewhere in the late nineteenth century. Phillipe looked to his assistant and smiled.

"You know, it's not too late." She told him. "If we head back to the house, I could still cook..."

"Now Margaret, I promised you we would eat out, and that is exactly what we will do." He said proudly. He went to the door, opening it and gesturing her inside. Margaret just sighed and stepped inside. As soon as they set foot in the building, all sound stopped. Every patron immediately fell silent and looked towards the new arrivals. They did look a little out of place. While Phillipe had made an effort to blend in by wearing clothes he had bought from the local store, he was the only one whose clothes didn't show signs of wear, or engine oil or dirt...signs of labour. Margaret on the other hand was wearing a black dress that didn't look like it came from any tailor anywhere near this town.

"I'd like a table." Phillipe said. The bartender just pointed to a table in the corner. Phillipe and Margaret headed over, taking a seat. As they went to sit down, suddenly the patrons lost interest and went back to what they were doing. "Well, this is nice don't you think?"

"Oh yes, real nice." Margaret responded. "All this place needs is a pair of half-length double doors and a player piano to really set the scene."

"I once dined as an invited guest of William and Kate, and even I find your snobbery a little surprising." He chuckled.

"Did you just call me a snob?" She asked, looking a little surprised. He just smiled.

"Come on, this place isn't so bad." He replied. "Look, hunting trophies on the wall, fireplace...it's a little like my father's dining room."

"If I remember rightly, you weren't exactly fond of your father's taste in decorating." Margaret answered. Phillipe just laughed.

"Well, I must admit I never did inherit my father's taste for hunting." He agreed. "Though I just wonder why this place bothers you so much."

Just then, a man walked into the bar carrying a shotgun. He put on the safety catch and propped it up against the bar, before gesturing to the barman to get him some beer.

"Yeah, I wonder!" She responded sarcastically. Just then, a server came over, looking to them.

"Are you ready to order?" She asked.

"I don't appear to see a menu." Phillipe responded.

"We're out of the pie." She told them. "We have chicken or chilli."

"I think two of the chicken." Phillipe responded. "By any chance do you have a wine list?"

"We have red, and we have white." She answered. Phillipe just looked to Margaret, who was trying hard not to laugh by now.

"I think just two beers please." He said as she took down the order, heading over to the bar to process their order. "Come on Margaret, do try and cheer up a little, we'll have the Energem any day now."

"Yeah, that's...that's great and all." Margaret responded. Phillipe just looked to her.

"Why do I get the feeling there's a 'but' in there?" He asked.

"Look, I know you've been working really hard and everything." Margaret told him. "I've never seen you work harder for anything in your life, but...what if it doesn't work?"

"Doesn't work?" He asked her. She drew in a little closer.

"I don't claim to be an expert, but from what I've heard, there's no guarantee who they will choose." She responded. "Sir Ivan I understand, but three of them picked teenagers! One of them picked a caveman for God's sake!"

"You haven't met the Rangers!" He stated. "But I unfortunately you do have a point. There is no guarantee what any Energem is looking for. From what I've heard the Pink Energem was most aggressive when it rejected Ms Morgan."

"Aggressive?" She asked.

"Apparently she ended up in hospital." Phillipe told her.

"You mean this thing could be DANGEROUS?" Margaret asked him.

"No more dangerous than your training device." Phillipe replied, chuckling. She just looked to him.

"Go back to the palace." She told him. "We can do this with a medical team; I can hire any experts you want..."

"The Energems don't seem to care about experts or labs or anything like that." Phillipe told her. "As you already quite elegantly pointed out, one of them bonded to a man in a cave before the invention of modern science."

"Here are your beers." The waitress said as she came back. She looked somewhat put out. "Your food should be out shortly."

"Thank you." Margaret responded, taking a sip of her beer. Phillipe noticed her expression though.

"What appears to be the issue?" He asked her.

"Oh, it's just Mr Wonderful." She grumbled, gesturing to a huge guy by the bar in a flannel shirt. "He's usually harmless, but when he's had a few his hands start to wander."

"Perhaps someone should teach him some manners." Phillipe suggested. She just shook her head.

"No offence mister, but I once saw him felling a giant redwood by himself." She replied. "He'd probably break you in half. Besides, like I said, he's harmless. He'll probably pass out soon, then we'll call his brother to take him home."

"Alright, as long as you're sure." Phillipe replied as she went back to her work. He turned his attention back to Margaret. "You worry far too much."

"Like it or not, I am employed to keep you safe, it's a job I take very seriously." She answered him.

"And I appreciate that a great deal." Phillipe responded. "Mommy."

"Less of that, I just really don't want to end up on a treason charge." She responded with a little smile, looking to him. Her father was in the Zandarian military, she had practically grown up alongside the Prince. It was one of the reasons she got a lot more leeway when it came to protocol how she spoke to him. "How likely do you think I'd be to get another job if I let the Prince of Zandar get killed by a rock?"

"Your concern truly is heart warming." He replied, mocking being hurt by her comment. Just then, the waitress returned with their meal, a particularly uninspiring looking dish of chicken, potatoes and roast vegetables, covered in some kind of sauce that Phillipe couldn't think to identify.

"Well, this looks...appetising." Margaret said, failing to hide her feelings on the local cuisine. Phillipe just shook his head.

"Come on; think of it as an adventure." He replied, taking a mouthful. He had to admit having his reservations concerning its appearance, but the flavour was a pleasant surprise. It wasn't fancy by any means, but it was good, wholesome cooking. "See what I mean? Most agreeable."

"If you say so." Margaret replied. If she was honest, she wasn't overly bothered by the meal itself; it was more being out of her comfort zone. It was a lot simpler to look after the Prince's affairs in familiar surroundings, where she had access to her team and her equipment. Out here...she couldn't quite get her attention off the guy with his shotgun propped up against the bar.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing? Get your hands off me Hank!" The waitress called out. Phillipe looked over, seeing her trying to shove the huge drunk away from her. Margaret could see the look on his face.

"Forget it Phillipe, it's none of our business." Margaret warned him. "You heard her..."

"That was before." Phillipe responded, getting up.

"Phillipe..."

"You sir!" Phillipe called across. "I believe the young lady asked to be left alone."

"Piss off Limey." He grunted. "What's it to you?"

"The lady asked to be left alone." Phillipe repeated, coming over. The large man let go of the waitress. "There, now that wasn't so..."

His words tailed off as "Mr Wonderful" stood up to his full height, towering over Phillipe. He took a couple of steps towards Phillipe at which he Margaret was starting to get ready to intervene. Phillipe just gestured to her to stay where she was. The large man grabbed Phillipe's shirt in a massive hand.

"Now, there's no need for this to get unpleasant." He stated.

"You brought this on yourself!" He responded. However, just as he was bringing back a fist to hit Phillipe, the Prince made good use of his training. He utilised a wrist lock, forcing his hand off him. The drunk man just stared at him as he stumbled back.

"Likewise." Phillipe replied. The larger man let out a huge yell, running straight for Phillipe, who stepped out to the side, sweeping his legs out from under him. The large man hit the ground face-first, starting to scramble back up. "Now, there's no need for this to get any more embarrassing."

The man went for Phillipe again. This time, the Prince was quick to end things. A couple of sharp blows later, the man fell to his knees, before a knee under the chin knocked him to the floor. Phillipe just stood over him.

"Perhaps you will take this as a lesson." He stated, looking to the other patrons. "Can someone see he makes it safely home?"

"Come on Hank." One of the others groaned as he and another man helped him up. "Let's go sleep it off."

As he they left, Phillipe went back to his table. Margaret just glared at him.

"What about keeping a low profile?" She asked.

"He deserved it." Phillipe responded. "Besides, at least now we know my training is working."

"He was twice your size!" She reminded him.

"He doesn't hit nearly as that contraption you have in the barn." He chuckled. Just then, the waitress came over. She smiled at him.

"The manager just wanted me to say thanks." She told him. "The check's on the house."

"There is no need..."

"No, we insist." She told him, before heading back to work. Phillipe just looked to Margaret, who rolled her eyes, before beginning her dinner.


	17. Ivan's Invitation

The next morning, Kendall's apartment was surprisingly busy. It wasn't often she had a lot of people over. Hell, usually she was the only one there.

It wasn't as though she was a lonely person. At least, she wasn't anymore. Before she had been chosen to research the Energems, sure, there were times that were more than a little lonely. It wasn't as though she tried to push people away, at least not at first. In High School, it just kind of happened because she was far more interested in how things worked and figuring out the sciences than she was with the things everyone told her she should be interested. Guys found it unappealing when she could tell them more about how their cars worked than they did. They found it even LESS appealing when she corrected them on their technical errors (mostly exaggerations) while they were boasting about them to their friends. Girls...she never really did figure out why the girls didn't like her much. It just seemed easier to ignore them and concentrate on her studies.

Things weren't exactly much easier when she finally broke into the field she had dreamed of. Her field was very male-dominated, and extremely competitive. She had spent a long time dealing with people who considered her more of a rival, a potential threat to their own standing than colleagues. At times it got so cut-throat that they would use literally anything to belittle the contributions of others. A lot of people resented how far she had progressed in the field, sometimes saying she was hired because she was a woman and there to fill a quota so that sponsors didn't look sexist. Others suggested at times she was hired because of her appearance. Others suggested she made her way into top positions through...other means. The point was that so many times she had been let down, put down and disrespected by so called colleagues, even on a few times having her work and credit for it stolen by ambitious rivals, she had just kind of gone with it.

Now though, she had a lot of people in her life. It had began with Anton, one of the few who had genuinely seen her accomplishments and her drive and nurtured it. She still kept in touch with Anton regularly, and not just to update him on her work. Sometimes she would just call to see how he was doing. Koda and the other Rangers had managed to break through her shell over time. She now actually looked forward to seeing them each day at the museum or the lab. That said, normally she had a strict policy, people didn't come into her apartment. She was a lot more open and she liked being around the others, it wasn't like she could change her entire nature overnight. When she got home to her apartment, she liked having her own space; somewhere she could just kick back and be by herself. Right now, her home was full of people, and strangely, she didn't feel crowded. They had invited themselves over for breakfast to see Mrs Griffin and her boyfriend off as they went back home.

Boyfriend...that felt weird to her to think of that word in relation to herself. As she leant against the counter, sipping her coffee, she watched Matt getting their luggage together for the trip home. Boyfriend, it felt weird, but she couldn't help smiling thinking about it.

"These pancakes are great Mrs Griffin!" Shelby stated, looking up from her plate. "Riley doesn't know what he's missing!"

"Yeah, where is he anyway?" Chase asked, looking over to Tyler, who was standing beside a stack of pancakes. "A little help?"

Tyler took one, and threw it the length of the room to Chase, who caught it. Kendall almost choked on her coffee as she saw this.

"Hey, hey!" She rushed out. "This isn't your apartment remember?"

"Come on Ms Morgan, lighten up." Chase replied. "I didn't drop anything!"

"Well...just try to be more careful." Kendall responded. "Uh...Tyler? There's a coaster right there!"

"Riley left earlier this morning with Ivan." Mrs Griffin told them as she took Tyler's orange juice glass and moved it onto a coaster to put Kendall's mind a little more at ease.

"He didn't stay to see you off?" Shelby asked.

"We're used to him getting an early start; he's already said his goodbyes." Matt assured her. "Mom, I'm just about to start loading up if that's alright with you."

"I'll give you a hand." Tyler said, drinking the last of his OJ, before putting it down on the edge of the table. As it fell, Shelby was neat-handed enough to catch it before it hit the floor and put it back on the coaster. "Sorry Ms Morgan."

"Oh come on guys! Really?" Kendall complained. She looked to Matt. "I'll help you out."

"Yeah, we all know WHY right?" Chase sniggered. Kendall gave him her trademark death-glare that so far was found to be about the only thing known to be able to silence him. She grabbed one of the bags.

"Please TRY not to trash my place while we're gone." She said to the whole group. As she left with Matt, Tyler looked to the group.

"So, who wants another pancake?" He asked. Shelby's hand flew up, at which he threw it across the room for her to catch.

Down by Matt's truck, Kendall was starting to help him load up. Throwing back a tarpaulin, he started to toss the bags inside.

"It was really great of you and your mom to help." She told him. "You know...with everything I mean."

"Hey, we were happy to." He assured her. "It was a lot of fun."

"Yeah...fun isn't really how I would describe it." She answered. While Matt seemed to have a blast playing with the kids, her experience was very different. By the time the day was over, she was starting to wonder if the kids were bigger monsters than Sledge's prisoners.

"Oh, come on, you had fun and you know it." He said with a smile. "Besides, I guess now we don't have to sneak around anymore."

"Apparently that was all pointless anyway." Kendall answered. "I'm really going to miss you."

"Hey, Millport's only an hour's drive, I'm sure we can make time for each other." He reminded her. "Maybe next time, you can come out to us."

"You know, I think I might like that." Kendall responded, kissing him gently. As she parted from him, she saw he was looking at her.

"Those guys, the ones that came into the restaurant last night...they were no LARP group were they?" He asked her. She shook her head.

"No, they're as much a LARP group as they are good liars." She told him.

"So, this duel is real?" Matt asked her. She grabbed him, looking to him.

"You have to know me better than that." She assured him. "You and your mother trusted me with Riley's safety, and regardless of what we have, you have to know that's a responsibility I take very seriously."

"So why are he and Ivan heading off to meet them in a duel?" Matt asked her.

"I checked up on them the minute they left." Kendall told him. "They have a shared background."

"Shared background?" He asked. Kendall just looked to him. "You mean they're...?"

"It was almost ten years ago, but yes, they were." She told him. "Anton met them a while back in that huge battle in Harwood. When I ran their names past him, he told me."

"They still want a fight!" Matt reminded her.

"Yes, but something tells me that they aren't looking to disable Earth's main line of defence against Sledge." She told him. "I've been doing this for a while, and if there's one thing I've noticed, there are certain personality traits among Rangers. They all tend to be very driven, competitive."

Matt thought a little bit about the team, the only Rangers he really knew well. Riley always had been very driven, and his will to compete in the tournament all those months ago was no huge surprise. Spelling bees, science fairs...Riley had regularly sought opportunities to test himself, to prove himself. Chase wasn't exactly what he would CALL driven on the face of it, but he did pride himself on his marksmanship, which was so good, he HAD to practice, regardless of what he may have liked others to believe, and everyone knew how seriously he took his skating. Shelby in the meantime, she was practically the definition of competitive! It was one of the reasons she and Kendall had such a rocky start to their relationship.

"So you think this is...?"

"Apparently Daggeron was a knight, and he trained Chip to be a knight back in the day. I think this is some kind of..."

"Pissing contest?" Matt asked her. She just nodded.

"I may not have phrased it exactly like that, but in a way, yes." She replied. "Back in the day knights would regularly compete in tournaments as a way to hone their skills."

"Didn't a lot of them die?" He asked her.

"How many kings do you think really wanted their strongest allies getting killed in times of peace?" She asked him. "The vast majority of them were fought under very strict rules of honour."

Matt looked a little uneasy, but Kendall took his hands in hers.

"Like I said, if I thought for one minute this was anything other than a glorified game of touch football, don't you think I'd have sent the whole team in to take these guys out?" She said with a smile. "Believe in Riley."

"I do, but these guys have been doing this a lot longer than he has." Matt reminded her.

"Look on the bright side; Ivan named him as his second." Kendall said in response. "He only has to compete if Ivan is left unable to compete. The odds are all he's going to end up doing is watching."

At that moment, deep in the forest, there was a ringing of steel against steel that echoed through the quiet and still of the early morning. In a clearing, Riley rolled across the ground, before bringing his sword up, parrying a hard strike.

"Excellent work Riley!" Ivan congratulated him, withdrawing to a safe distance. Both of them had gone early to meet up with the others for the duel. Ivan had suggested that they take the time while they waited for some last-minute training. "Your skills are most admirable."

Ivan had already agreed to take on Riley as his squire, to help him train, to help him hone his skills with the experience he carried with him from the numerous battlefields he had been on since he was only 12 years old. He was sincere in his promise; it was just unfortunate that they'd had so little time to begin those lessons before this had happened. Even in his day, Ivan knew that enemies rarely had much respect for allowing time to train, but he had hoped to get a few more lessons under his belt before he needed to use them.

"You are quiet my young squire." Ivan said, noticing Riley quietly fetching some water out of his backpack, handing Ivan a bottle and taking some himself. Riley didn't say anything as he took a seat. "You know, a part of being a squire is learning. That can only happen if you are willing to ask the questions that plague you. I will answer."

"You asked me to be your second." Riley said as Ivan rested his sword against a tree. Ivan just looked at him.

"This surprises you?" He asked.

"It's just...most of my friends don't throw me into fights without checking with me first." Riley told him. "You kind of threw me under the bus there."

Ivan realised he had obviously missed a change in the modern world. It was just the done thing in his day. When he became a squire, he was just expected to follow him into battle, and to back him up in disputes. It was part of the oath he took when he became a squire. When he became a knight, and pledged himself to the throne of Zandar, little changed. He would be expected to enter any battle his Prince ordered him to. For a while he had acted as the Standard Bearer, which meant he regularly acted as the Prince's champion in disputes. Later, as the Prince's bodyguard, he was expected to fight any battle for his Prince regardless of whether or not the Prince had instigated it.

"If I have made you uncomfortable then I apologise, I meant no harm." Ivan told him. "It was the way of my time."

"Ivan, Ms Morgan told me these guys are knights! Honest to God knights!" Riley told him. "Not only that, Ms Morgan told me that they were RANGERS!"

"Rangers indeed?" Ivan asked, looking more excited than anything. "Then this should be a very interesting tourney indeed!"

"You...you want to fight them?" Riley asked. Ivan just smiled.

"My young squire, there is no greater thrill than a hard-fought tourney." Ivan told him. "Why, when I lifted my first trophy at Eperleque..."

"Ivan, they want to FIGHT you!" Riley reiterated. "How does that not freak you out?"

"I have confidence in my abilities, and a will to put them to the test." Ivan answered. "I believe you are no stranger to tourneys yourself. Ms Morgan told me about those."

"It's...not really the same..."

"You fought others in order to see who was the better did you not?" Ivan asked. "I don't see the difference."

Riley was about to answer, but found himself unable to. Ivan just looked to him and smiled.

"I didn't just choose you because you were my squire." Ivan told him. "I have a great respect for your skills. I would gladly entrust you to represent me."

He reached into a backpack, pulling out a hauberk. He handed it to Riley, who unfolded it to get a better look. It was a simple design, green at the top, split at the middle and white at the bottom.

"You...you made this?" Riley asked. Ivan just nodded. "I have my own heraldry?"

"Soon, you will be able to begin adding insignia depicting your great deeds to it." Ivan answered. Just then, Chip and Daggeron arrived through the undergrowth. Ivan smiled as he got up, making his way over.

"Sir Charles, it is an honour to share the field with you!" Ivan declared with a respectful bow.

"Believe me, the honour is all mine." Chip responded gleefully. "I heard all the tales of your deeds. I never dreamed I'd ever get a chance to meet you in person."

"Well, now you have." Ivan responded. "So, in which events would you like to compete?"

"Joust, sword and longbow." Chip replied.

"Wait, joust?" Riley asked. "Aren't we missing a few things?"

"I think we can help with that." Chip responded, pulling out his wand. Waving it, uttering an incantation, the four men disappeared in a flash of lightning.


	18. The Tourney

Ivan and Riley couldn't help but look around, dazed and confused as they re-appeared in completely unfamiliar surroundings. It wasn't as though either of them was narrow-minded, but the forest they were in now was completely alien to them. Neither of them had any idea where they were. Chip could see the look in their faces and smiled.

"Don't worry; you're both completely safe here!" He assured them.

"And here is...?" Riley asked, looking confused.

"You're in the Mystic Realm." Daggeron explained. "It's kind of a crossroads of dimensions."

"Dimensions?" Riley asked. "Like...when there's a choice to make if you say yes or no, two different dimensions are created?"

"Something like that." Chip answered, looking a little amused. "There is so much more to the universe than people can even comprehend. In all probability even this universe isn't the only one."

"What does this have to do with your challenge?" Ivan asked. Chip just smiled as a horn blared. Both Ivan and Riley looked up. The air started to ripple, and a building appeared before them.

It was an arena of sorts, something that couldn't have existed without anyone noticing in any forest, it was larger than the Vatican, oval in shape and adorned with brightly coloured flags. Riley had heard tales of the great arenas, the most famous of which would be the Coliseum in Rome. It was built centuries before modern building practices, but it remained the benchmark for any arena built since. This though made it look like a dollar-theatre! It was at least fifty stories high, and looked like it was almost a mile wide in any direction!

"What is this?" Ivan demanded.

"You've just received an invite to the Grand Tourney." Chip informed him.

"And no one notices this because...?"

"You're between dimensions, only those invited have any idea this place even exists." Daggeron explained. Just then, a creature appeared before them, flipping out of the trees. It was a hideous thing, hairy and dishevelled. Ivan quickly grabbed it, forcing it to the ground.

"Hey, hey, what gives?" It spluttered as he took it down. Ivan just looked a little stunned it was speaking to him. "Damn it, this job was meant to be easy money."

"Phineas, what the hell are you doing here?" Chip asked him, offering the creature a hand. It politely refused, before flipping seemingly impossibly through the air just by pushing off the ground with its hand. It landed on its feet a little way off.

"I'm a herald; I'm here to announce the competitors from this realm." He stated. Both Chip and Daggeron just looked at him. "I need the money alright? Having kids outside the Mystic Realm's really expensive, even when they are part vampire!"

"What is this vile beast?" Ivan demanded. Phineas just held a hand to his chest.

"Hey, words hurt you know!" He reprimanded him. "The name's Phineas, I'm a Troblin, the result of when a troll and a goblin...well...you get the idea."

"Sorry, but until right now we had no idea trolls or goblins existed." Riley said, unable to take his eyes off the bizarre creature. "Never mind a mix of the two...no offence intended."

"None taken, I'm used to it." Phineas assured him, straightening out his clothes. "Even my parents' species like to pretend I don't exist."

"So, you are here to announce us?" Ivan asked. Phineas just nodded.

"You'll be competing against the strongest in all the realms." He stated. "This year is especially important, since...you know...it's the first since the Mystic Mother's sacrifice."

"Mystic Mother?" Riley asked. Phineas just looked to the others.

"You brought a couple of tourists to this thing?" He asked. "Man, that's messed up."

"I believed we would duel!" Ivan put down aggressively. Chip just smiled.

"We will if we meet in the finals." Chip assured him. "In the meantime, how long has it been since you were in a real tourney?"

"Longer than I care to admit." Ivan answered as they headed for the stadium.

Back in Amber Beach, at the museum, things were running smoothly at the museum for once. There were no alarms; no one was running off, it was just...peaceful. Shelby was both relieved for the respite, and also a little bored if she was honest. She longed for a tour to arrive so that she could kill an hour or so with another tour group.

She noticed something as she was resting against the ticket booth, waiting for someone to need her, Ms Morgan, but she seemed very different than normal. Instead of heading around the exhibits with her note pad looking to hone the fine details, she seemed...well...it seemed like she wasn't there at all. She was smiling, she was floating around without a care in the world and...most bizarrely of all...she was humming!

"I'm guessing you had a memorable goodbye." Shelby said. Kendall just looked to her.

"I'm sorry?" She asked. Shelby just looked to her, smirking.

"Kendall..."

"It's Ms Morgan!" Kendall put down with authority. Shelby just sighed.

"Look, you have issues, I get it, we all do." Shelby stated. "None of the girls at school got me either."

"I'm failing to see the point." Kendall stated.

"You don't need to do the 'Ms Morgan' thing around friends." Shelby assured her.

"Look, I'm your employer..."

"You're also a friend." Shelby interrupted her. Kendall just stared at her. "Sure, at times I used to think you were a bitch...I'm sure you probably thought the same about me, but I think we're beyond that by now."

"Meaning...?"

"I think by now we should be able to call you Kendall." Shelby stated. Kendall just frowned. "I...guess not."

"Look, you guys mean the world to me, you all do." Kendall assured her. "It's just...I have a certain image to maintain here to the others."

"You mean the image of the cold-hearted bitch I hated working for?" Shelby asked. Kendall just sighed.

"You know, there is such a thing as being too open." She responded. Shelby just looked to her. "I just have a lot on my mind..."

"Like a certain cowboy?" Shelby teased her. Kendall was about to answer when a bleeping sound interrupted them. Kendall pulled out her Dino Comm.

"What is it?" Shelby asked.

"An alarm..."

"I'd figured out that much!" Shelby replied. "Why didn't mine sound?"

"It's a command thing...it's a certain kind of alarm." Kendall told her. "It's to indicate when one of you isn't able to be detected."

"One of the guys disappeared?" She shrieked. "Who?"

"It's Riley." Kendall told her. "His Energem dropped off the grid."

"But the grid..."

"It covers the whole planet." Kendall stated, storming towards the lab.

"Ms Morgan, you mean...?"

"He's literally dropped off the face of the Earth!" Kendall told her, her face a mask of pure panic.

Back in the Mystic Realm, Riley and Ivan followed Chip and Daggeron into the stadium. Riley had seen tournaments before, but never anything like this. There were food stands and souvenir stalls, but the patrons...not all of them were human!

"The turnout's pretty good this year." Phineas said with a little glee in his tone. "Last year was a bit of a washout with the Fae and the Goblins at war, but now they've buried the hatchet...things should be pretty interesting."

"Fae?" Riley asked. "Goblins?"

"What? You didn't think only HUMANS were invited to this tournament did you?" He asked. He looked to Chip and Daggeron, who just smirked.

"When I invited you to a duel, I may have been a little...creative...with the definition." Chip told them. "Welcome to the All Realms Tourney!"

"All Realms tourney?" Riley asked. "You mean..."

He was cut off as he was bumped harshly by a careless passer-by. Ivan was quick to respond, grabbing the stranger. He had to respond quickly as sword-points quickly found themselves levelled in his direction.

"Mind your manners oaf!" The stranger spat dismissively. The stranger was almost six feet tall, and wore amour that looked like it was no more substantial than a roll of parchment. He had pointed ears, and long, flowing hair. His skin was so pale, it was almost ethereal.

"YOU mind your manners sir!" Ivan snapped in response, rounding on him angrily. The other knight's entourage were all going for weapons when a stranger intervened. He was shorter than Daggeron, with pale skin and dark, curly hair.

"Wait a minute lads, I think we can resolve this without it needing to come to violence right?" He asked. "After all, we wouldn't want to be thrown out before we get as far as the lists right?"

"This is nothing to do with you human." The creature snapped, glaring at Riley. "This one needs to watch where he's walking when he's around his betters."

"Better remains to be seen." Riley answered. The creature just sneered.

"Do you often let your squire speak out of turn?" The creature asked Ivan, before turning and walking away. The stranger reached behind him, pulling out a flail and allowing the heavy metal ball hit the ground with a loud thunk. He smirked at the creature.

"Like I said, there's no point in starting anything and getting kicked out early is there?" He asked. "Even if it would be fun."

"Just be glad you're only a squire." The creature answered as he walked away from Riley. The stranger waited a moment, before retrieving his weapon.

"High Elves." He commented as he retrieved his weapon. He spoke with a heavy accent. "They might have mad skills, but they can be arrogant wankers. The only thing they love more than a tourney is talking about how good they are."

"Thank you for stepping in." Daggeron stated.

"Hey, anything for a fellow human, even if he is from another dimension." He answered, offering a handshake. Riley took it first.

"Riley." He introduced himself. "Squire and second to Sir Ivan of Zandar."

"Sir Ivan?" The stranger replied, shaking Riley's hand before turning to Ivan. "Your legend proceeds you. I wasn't sure the stories were true."

"Believe me, this is all new to me too." Ivan assured him with a smile, happy to hear that it seemed even out here people had heard of him. "Who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

Before the stranger could answer, there was a loud, thickly accented, female voice.

"Angus!" She yelled. She bad flaming red hair, and was about the same height and build as Kendall. She was wearing a red cloak over a simple grey dress. "Shift your arse!"

"I was just..."

"The first tilt is about to start!" She told him. "And I think by tradition the second is meant to actually be there!"

"Fine, I'm on my way." Angus sighed, looking to the others as she walked away. "I guess the first tilt is about to take place. Want to join me by the list?"

"It would be an honour Sir Angus." Ivan replied. They followed him, arriving at a list a little way off. The horn blowers were playing, and a herald was heading out to announce the first competitors.

"Ladies and gentlemen, bear witness to the hero of Kellia, the Champion of the tourney of the Goblin King, the undisputed ruler of Hor...Sir Furria!"

They all looked to a creature that was rearing up to accept the applause and adulation. It was a thickly muscled creature with dark green, almost black skin, and was riding a strange creature that looked a lot like a boar, but appeared to be the size of a horse, with long, bony spines coming out of its skin at the shoulders and skull. It was handed a lance by one of its servants.

"Does anyone want any refreshments?" Angus asked, returning to them with a pie in one hand and a tankard of ale in the other. Riley had to do a double-take. He hadn't even seen him leave, much less find a vendor and purchase refreshments.

"You are a second are you not?" Ivan asked. "Shouldn't you be preparing yourself...?"

"Trust me; my man needs a second like I need advice as a thief." Angus stated, gesturing to a man getting onto his horse. They all looked to him, seeing a tall, powerfully built blonde man getting into the saddle.

"Uh...isn't he meant to be wearing armour?" Riley asked as he rode out. The horns blared as the first tilt began, and both sides spurred their steeds towards each other. Angus just smiled.

"Oh, he'll be just fine." He answered. They all watched as instead of levelling his lance at his opponent, he raised it above him.

"FIRE WITHIN ME!" He called out. He seemed to burst into flames for a moment, which engulfed both him and his charger. By the time the flames dissipated, he was wearing a glittering suit of gold armour, trimmed in red. His horse was also armoured similarly. He levelled his lance just in time as the two came together. Sir Ferria flew from his steed, hitting the ground hard and tumbling away as the crowd cheered.

"See what I mean?" Angus answered. "Nice one Rohan!"

As the heralds put up three flags indicating the three points he got for unsaddling his opponent, Rohan rode around, accepting the crowd's applause. He rode up to Angus, removing his helmet.

"Why is it every time I see you, you've got food in your hands?" He teased him as he hopped off his horse. Angus just shrugged.

"Up next, we have Bealoran, High Elf Prince of Jurr, against Sir Charles Thorn of Briarwood!" The herald announced. Chip looked to the others.

"Sorry guys, looks like I'm up." He replied. "I guess we'll catch up later Rohan."

"This is indeed an odd tournament." Ivan stated. Rohan smiled.

"What do you expect for the Mystic Realm?" He asked. "It takes more than a decent sword arm to get through this thing."

"It would appear so." Ivan responded. "I am Sir Ivan..."

"Believe me, I know who you are, your legend proceeds you." Rohan assured him. "I'm Sir Rohan, Mystic Knight of Tir Na Nog!"

Back in the mortal realm, night was starting to fall some way from Amber Beach. Phillipe and Margaret headed back to the local tavern.

"The fish, twice." He announced as they got there. There were only two options on the menu the last time he was there, which may have been uninspiring in some ways, but it did have the advantage of making ordering very straightforward. They both took a seat.

"Phillipe, I don't know why you insisted on coming back here." Margaret whispered. "Last night..."

"Margaret, you need to relax a little." Phillipe assured her. "I don't need a bodyguard out here."

"You think so?" She grumbled as she saw three men coming over. One of them was very familiar; it was Hank, the guy Phillipe had fought the night before. Phillipe just looked to them.

"Is there something I can help you with?" He asked.

"That's the one that beat you up?" One of them asked. Hank just nodded. "I hear last night you beat up my little brother."

'Little' was an interesting description. Hank was indeed the smallest of the three, and he was somewhere close to 300 pounds. It seemed that they grew big around these parts.

"I'm afraid the facts may have been a little embellished." Phillipe said as he looked to the man.

"So you DIDN'T beat up my brother?" He asked.

"Oh, I most certainly did." Phillipe assured him. "But your brother was acting..."

His words were cut off as he grabbed Phillipe by the shirt and hauled him out of his chair across the table. Margaret went for her berretta, levelling it against the man's skull.

"Alright, put him down or I redecorate the wall with your brains!" Margaret warned him. She heard a few mechanical clicks and realised her mistake. This was a farming community, pretty much everyone was armed! She realised there were at least a dozen shotguns aimed her way and made a point of pointing her gun a safe direction, holding her hands clear.

"Your girlfriend here isn't going to save you." The other guy stated. Phillipe just smiled.

"She doesn't have to." He said. He head-butted the man, sending him to the floor before turning his attention to his two brothers. In a flurry of blows, both men tried and failed to catch him, but Phillipe ended up the only one still standing, with barely a hair out of place. He looked down on the three brothers.

"Your brother treated the waitress with disrespect, I taught him some manners." Phillipe told them. One of the brothers started to get up, but Phillipe kicked him hard in the head, putting him back down. He was now firmly in control. All three of them were at his mercy. As the largest of them started to haul himself up on the bar, Phillipe grabbed him, forcing him over it. "It appears I may need to extend that lesson to the whole family!"

"I think you've done enough." Another guy stated.

"I don't believe this is any of your business." Phillipe responded. The stranger just sighed.

"Those men might be assholes, but they're my neighbours." He stated. "Let it go, you've made your point."

"I don't believe I have!" Phillipe snapped. The stranger grabbed him and shoved him away, looking to the three men.

"Get out of here; you've embarrassed yourselves enough for one night." He stated. The three men just nodded and left. Phillipe though was most put out by this. He stared at the stranger.

"How DARE you!" He demanded. "This quarrel was nothing to do with you!"

"Well, now it's over." He replied, picking up a beer. Phillipe though ripped it out of his hand.

"I believe we now have our own quarrel." He stated. The stranger just sighed.

"Settle your check first." He told him.

"I'll do it later." Phillip responded.

"You won't be able to later." The stranger answered. "Outside."

Phillipe followed the man outside, being tailed by a reluctant Margaret. The other patrons filed out behind him, waiting to see the fight. Phillipe started to warm up.

"I have to warn you, I'm not having a good day." The man assured him. "I'll give you one last chance to walk away."

"I'd have thought since I already beat three of your friends you'd not underestimate me." Phillipe told him.

"They're not my friends." The stranger answered. "Just remember, you wanted this."

Phillipe went for the man, but before he got there, he felt something hit him, and his breath left him in an instant. It was like he'd been hit with a car! He couldn't even remember seeing the man move! He sank to his knees.

"You're alright; you're alright...get up." The stranger assured him, helping him to his feet. Phillipe took the opportunity to attack, hitting the man hard across the face. As they parted, the man just glared at him. "Alright, that's it!"

Phillipe went for him, but the man moved with alarming speed. He felt the car hit him, again and again, each blow landing with precision. He was fighting just to breathe long before the last blow connected; a hard right cross straight to his jaw. The whole world turned to black.

"Phillipe?" He heard a tinny voice saying as he started to come around. Margaret was kneeling over him, looking deeply concerned. "Phillipe, speak to me!"

"What...what happened?"

"You just got your ass handed to you." A stranger told him. Phillipe started to sit up.

"I don't understand, I've been training..." He started to say as Margaret helped him sit up.

"Stranger, you're lucky he was in a good mood." The other man said. "You have no idea who that was do you?"

"Should I?" Phillipe asked. He just chuckled.

"Believe me, everyone in Millport knows that guy." He responded. "That was 'Granite' Matt Griffin."

 **A/N:** A lot of you have been asking for it...and I've finally relented! Hope you liked the cameo!


	19. Phillipe's Lesson

At the tournament, Riley was still completely in awe of everything that was going on. He had begun the day believing he was going to attend a duel with a couple of Power Rangers, yet before long he had found himself being transported to a mystical realm inhabited by all manner of creatures that until now he would have never believed existed...and his interpretation of what was and wasn't possible was becoming very broad over his time as a Ranger.

"I always love this tournament. It's easily the highlight of the year for me!" Phineas said excitedly as he led them through a mass of tents. "Whoa, you might want to steer clear of that guy. Trolls are not known for their sociable natures. Unfortunately as late entrants you've not exactly got a great site for your tent..."

"Late entrant?" Riley asked. "Until about an hour ago I never even knew about this place, never mind know we were entering."

"Some of the newer entrants are invited by veterans." Phineas assured them as one of the trolls took a swipe for him as he got a little too close. It's long, branch-like limb barely missed him. "HEY! I'm walkin' here! Anyway, as I was saying, you have a tent which is where you will be permitted to rest up and prepare for events. You know...if you aren't enjoying the other...attractions."

He stopped by a vendor who was cooking meat of...well...Riley really couldn't identify what it was meant to be. It didn't look like any creatures he knew of.

"One please." Phineas stated, looking to Chip and Ivan. "Unless you want anything of course."

"I only wish to see a smith." Ivan told him, walking past another strange creature as it was having armour fitted. "I fear we may have left our realm...underprepared."

"Oh, in order to ensure fair competition everything is provided. Most competitors bring their own equipment, but if you don't have anything, you'll find your tent has all the supplies you need." Phineas ensured them as he took one of the creatures off the spit. "Thanks for that."

"What do you mean everything is provided?" Riley asked him, before something else struck him. "Aren't you going to pay for that?"

"Nobody pays for anything here." Phineas said through a mouthful of meat. "It's a mystical realm full of people with magic. What use do you think anyone has for money?"

They stopped by a tent that was yellow and black. Hanging from the top of the main tent pole was a pennant bearing Ivan's crest.

"Well, this is you." Phineas stated. "You're due in the close combat on foot arena in ten minutes, so...you might want to change into something with a little more...protection. You know...unless being bifurcated is your thing, I don't know how you guys do things back home."

"I shall be along shortly. Be ready to announce me." Ivan declared as he entered the tent. Riley followed him closely.

When they got inside, they found that Phineas wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. The tent was enchanted to be several times larger on the inside than outside. There were racks upon racks of just about every kind of weapon and armour anyone could imagine. Just for good measure, there was also a forge, and an anvil, where a smith seemed to be standing, awaiting instructions.

"Now THIS brings back memories!" Ivan said with a smile, picking up a longsword. He started to swing it around, checking it out for balance.

"I still can't believe all this is real." Riley told him. "This is all...WOW!"

"You are having, I believe they call it...a nerdgasm?" Ivan chuckled. Riley just stared at him. "I have picked up a few things from Chase. Believe me, I understand. I felt much the same the first time I attended a tourney. There is nothing that beats the thrill of competition."

"It really looks...wow." Riley reiterated with awe in his voice. "I almost wish we WEREN'T competing so that I could just wander round, look at all the entertainment they're putting on."

"What would be the fun in that?" Ivan asked, pulling on some padding, before grabbing some chain mail. "Come, my loyal squire, you heard the Troblin. We are expected at the combat arena presently."

Back in the mortal realm, in a farmhouse several miles from the city, Phillipe was standing in front of a mirror, inspecting his wounds. He winced as he pressed a couple of fingers to his ribs. He still couldn't believe what had happened that night. He had been training for most of his life, the last few weeks especially he had pretty much cut himself off from any form of distractions in order to focus completely on preparing himself for the dangers he would face as a Ranger, and yet, no more than half an hour ago, he'd been beaten, levelled in the middle of the street by one of the locals.

"You probably shouldn't do that." Margaret sighed, bringing in a first aid kit, slapping it down on the table. She gave him a dark look as she brought out some cotton balls and some rubbing alcohol. "Come on, let me have a look."

"I'll be fine." He grumbled. Margaret completely ignored him, coming over and grabbing him, forcing him down onto a chair.

"This isn't up for negotiation." She told him flatly. "It's bad enough I had to peel you off the pavement, there's no way I'm letting you get an infection."

She started to dab some of the alcohol into some of the injuries to his face. He hissed a little, but didn't make a big deal about it. He was humiliated enough without screaming like a baby at a little rubbing alcohol.

"Sit still!" She told him. "The sooner I do this, the sooner you can get a decent night's sleep and forget all about this."

"Forget about it? How exactly am I meant to forget about this?" Phillipe asked her. "I'm trying to become a Ranger. I'm fully expecting to be responsible for defending this world against some of the most dangerous creatures in existence!"

"That is the intention." She responded. "I guess the spandex makes a difference. You've seen what those Rangers were able to do."

"I've trained with some of the finest instructors money can pay for." He continued. "I've been training with that...THING of yours for weeks! I thought you said it was the finest in training technology!"

"You're blaming this on ME now?" She responded, her face betraying her temper.

"You said that thing would help me train..."

"Well, I'm not the one that told you to start going around picking fights with everyone and anyone you come across!"

"I needed to..."

"That first guy, OK maybe he needed taught a lesson. Those other three, they didn't give you much of a choice, they attacked you." She interrupted him. "But that last guy, that was completely unnecessary."

"He started..."

"Actually, from where I was standing, he was actually trying to stop you from acting like a complete thug." She told him.

"Thug?" He asked her. "You dare to call me a..."

"What term would you prefer? Brute? Hooligan? Arsehole?" She demanded.

"You forget yourself Margaret!" Phillipe responded. "You forget I'm the Prince..."

"Well maybe if you started ACTING like it!" She interrupted him, throwing down the cotton balls. "Those men were defeated; they were no threat to anyone! There was only one person that deserved a beating there, and congratulations, you got it! You can clean up your own damned wounds."

With that, she stormed out of the room. Phillipe reached out toward her, but stopped only just short of calling her back. Margaret had grown up with him, and she was one of the few that felt comfortable enough to speak freely around him. He knew she would never think to speak to him in any way that hurt him, unless there was a good reason. She had a point.

He thought back over the evening's events, and he considered all she had said. Carl's three brothers had indeed started the fight; there was no doubt in his mind about that. He had every right to defend himself when they attacked him, however with his superior training; he had very quickly left all of them unable to fight back.

He hadn't just stopped there though; he had taken it upon himself to punish them for attacking him. He had continued the fight long after they were no threat to him. In that moment, he had changed the situation. He was the one that needed to be made to stop, and that man had done exactly that.

He didn't know what felt worse, the beating he took or the realisation that he deserved it. He sat, holding his head in his hands. He deserved everything that happened, including the dressing down he got from Margaret. He got up, grabbing a shirt and headed from the room. He found her upstairs, in her room, staring out of the window. He came across, standing behind her.

"If you're here to fight some more, I'd appreciate it if you'd just wait until morning." Margaret told him. "I find babysitting you tiring at times..."

"Harsh...but I can't deny that was deserved." Phillipe responded sheepishly. "I think you and Koda would get along. You seem to have that in common."

He turned her to face him.

"Margaret, I'm sorry for...well...let's just say I'm sorry and cut the list short." Phillipe continued. "You've been in my household since we were kids. You've never been anything but straight with me, even when others around me have been made to tell me what I wanted to hear. I guess I should listen to you a little more often."

"That would be a good place to start." She responded.

"It was the first place I could think to start." He replied. "I suppose I need someone to keep me in line. I guess what I did wasn't too heroic."

"That was a little bit of an understatement." She answered. Phillipe just smiled.

"I am apologising here." He reminded her.

"And when have I ever made THAT easy for you?" She teased him. He started to laugh. "I like it when you show a little humility. It's kind of..."

"Entertaining?" He asked.

"Human." She corrected him.

"Of course I'm not trying to be a human; I'm trying to be a hero." Phillipe responded as he looked away from her. "What am I doing wrong? What am I missing?"

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't most heroes human?" She asked him. "For a guy so in love with his country's history, you seem to miss that a lot in the people you idolised."

She came a little closer to him.

"Ivan, the legendary Knight of Zandar was human...he was in town for one night and got himself arrested for assault." She reminded him.

"Humanity, humility..." Phillipe responded as he thought about what she was saying. "I have to go!"

"Where are you going?" She asked him. He just smiled.

"I sought out people who taught me how to fight didn't I?" He asked her. "Now I just need to find someone that can teach me humility."

"What are you talking about?" She asked as he ran from the room, gathering up a jacket. "Phillipe, where are you going?"

Back at the Tourney, Ivan finally arrived at the combat arena. He looked to Riley as he arrived. The crowd was getting restless, as were the judges who were already looking out the forfeit banner to hang over his coat of arms. He was already late, and they were coming close to disqualifying him.

"Where the heck have you been?" Phineas asked as they arrived.

"I was having a little trouble with my armour." Ivan answered him. "Morphing is such a luxury compared to putting on all this stuff."

"Well, you better move it; I already delayed as much as I could." He told him. "My Lords, Ladies and..."

"Too late, he's already been announced." Another of the heralds told him, escorting Ivan into the arena. He faced off against his opponent, who looked just as impatient as everyone else.

The creature before him raised itself to its feet, using a battle axe for support. It was a huge creature, towering over Ivan, and completely encased in black armour, patterned with bronze runes. Its head was topped with a horned helmet which had only a t-shaped vision slit to see through. A long, flowing crimson cloak hung down its back.

"You showed up, good!" It said in a deep, rumbling voice as it hefted up the axe, before being handed its shield, which was almost the height of a man, and rectangular. It was patterned with a lot of the same runes, and had a large spike coming from the centre.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Ivan replied as he hefted his longsword, preparing for the first attack. The two creatures encircled each other, trying to size each other up.

"So your man made it." Angus said, coming to sit by Riley, a meat pie in his hand. "We were starting to worry. Ivar was almost disappointed."

"Trust me, I haven't seen Ivan look this excited, I don't think he'd miss this for the world!" Riley answered. Ivan made the first lunge, and in a quick flurry, metal smashed against metal. Ivan was forced back by the sheer force of his opponent, his feet sliding as he tried to remain on his feet. Riley saw one of the judges put two flags up by Ivan's coat of arms, and one up by his opponent's.

"So, what are the rules, first to ten?" Riley asked.

"First to ten, or to the death." Angus said matter-of-factly. Riley felt his heart sinking.

"Wait, can you say that last part again?" He asked. "To the death?"

"If your opponent is winning, you can still end the bout in victory if you kill your opponent." Angus answered, taking another bite. He gulped it down, seeing Riley's expression. "Don't worry; there are powerful spells in the arenas. It doesn't stick for long."

"So, Ivan could be killed in this thing?" Riley shrieked.

"Oh yeah, it happens quite a bit at this thing." Phineas responded. "Impaling is pretty common, but quite boring. Bifurcation is really messy, but a lot of the crowd love it. I once saw a beheading that led to the crowd batting the guy's head around like a beach ball at a football game, they REALLY loved that! Incineration..."

"Incineration?" Riley asked. "How exactly does anyone get incinerated?"

Ivan in the meantime had scored another few points, taking him to a commanding lead. He was now up to eight, while his mysterious opponent lingered on only three. He started to swing his axe above his head, at which a whirlwind started to whip up. He cast it straight at Ivan, who was thrown to the opposite side of the ring. The judges counted that as a point.

"What the hell?" Riley shrieked. "Is he allowed to do that?"

"It's a magical tournament." Phineas chuckled. "What, you thought we just hit each other with swords? How boring would that be?"

"But we don't have any..." Riley's words tailed off as he reached into his shirt, pulling out his Energem. "Magic."

It hadn't really occurred to him until now, but none of them really knew where Keeper's powers came from. They knew his staff was the source of his power, but Riley assumed it was some form of technology they didn't understand. They had all used Kendall's tech since they had bonded to the Energems.

He remembered the day he bonded to his Energem. He could still remember the visions of the velociraptor in his mind. He remembered running with Rubik, and actually getting back to the farm before him after his battle with Fury. He had managed to not only lift a car, but send it spinning into the air...

He ran to the edge of the ring and looked to Ivan as he ducked a jet of flame that his opponent breathed at him, chasing him around the arena. Ivan prepared to respond.

"IVAN!" Riley called to him. "Magic is legal in this tournament! You're allowed to morph!"

"I am pleased to hear that!" Ivan replied, summoning his morpher. "Energise!"

He ran towards his opponent, morphing as he went. By the time he reached him, he swung his Ptera Sabre, powering it up and smashing his opponent's shield into a thousand pieces with the force of his blow.

He turned on his opponent, knowing that wouldn't count as a point, his shield had taken the blow. He smiled seeing him getting back up, and starting to charge up a fireball.

"If that is how this game is played, so be it!" He responded, putting a Dino Charger into his Ptera Sabre. He rammed the point into the ground, channelling lightning towards his opponent, who hit the ground, convulsing as electricity sparked through his armour. Another point! Ivan placed another two Dino Chargers into his Ptera Sabre, rushing towards him as he was getting to his feet. The opponent flew through the air as the attack hit, sending fans scattering as he went straight out of the ring, smashing through a set of benches. Ivan turned to the judges and bowed.

"Victory to Ivan of Zandar!" They declared. Ivan started to leave the ring as the stands started to repair themselves and fans returned to their seats for the next round.

"Are you alright?" Riley asked. "How are...?"

"Riley, you worry more than my own mother, I haven't had this much fun in years!" Ivan told him. "Now come, I think before my next event I should have a word with Sir Charles about failing to explain the rules of this tourney."

Back in the mortal realm, Matt was back at the farm, taking care of a few last minute chores after returning from the tavern. He was just locking up the barn when he became aware of someone else there. He turned to see Phillipe standing there.

"You know most people with any brains would wait at least a few days before looking for round 2." Matt told him.

"I'm not looking to fight." Phillipe assured him. "I came to apologise to you."

"If it makes you feel better then fine, you have." Matt answered. "Now, you showed yourself onto my land, you can show yourself off it again."

"I came to apologise, but I also came to thank you." Phillipe replied. Matt just looked confused.

"You want to THANK me for handing you your ass?" Matt asked him. Phillipe just nodded.

"It took a good friend to tell me I needed a lesson, and you were a fine teacher." Phillipe told him. "I had no right to punish those men. I believed I did, but...in doing so I was no better than them, or their brother. I thank you for showing me that."

"The Fisher boys are not the brightest pennies in the change jar." Matt chuckled. "They haven't changed since High School. If that's everything..."

"Actually, there was ONE more thing." Phillipe answered. "I've been training for some time..."

"I could see that." Matt interrupted him. "Those moves you used on the Fishers, I doubt you learned them around here."

"You though...I haven't seen anyone fight like you." Phillipe answered. "If you would be willing, I would like to learn from you."

"If this is about...?"

"I assure you, my days of fighting for the sake of it are over." Phillipe put down flatly. "I am a man of my word. I would be grateful if you could teach me not only how to fight, but also when to fight."

Matt just sighed; he didn't know what this stranger's deal was.

"I'm willing to pay..."

"Do you see the Mercer Industries stuff over there?" Matt asked him. "Believe me, the last thing I want is money, we have enough to run this place."

"Then..."

"If I do this, there's only one condition." Matt told him. "You don't tell my mother. She doesn't know anything about me fighting."

"You have my word." Phillipe responded. "I'm at the farm..."

"This is a small town stranger; I know exactly where you are." Matt told him. "Word gets around. I'll see you there tomorrow at six."

"Six?" Phillipe asked.

"Six PM!" Matt clarified. "I do have work to do."

"I'll be ready." Phillipe responded. "I thank you."

With that, he turned and left, leaving Matt to finish up what he was doing.


	20. Safety Concerns

Tyler drove Shelby in his jeep, taking her out into the woods. She would have just gone herself, but Tyler had convinced her that his jeep could progress much further through the undergrowth than the museum's truck. When this looked like it wasn't going to work, he had to play dirty and remind her that the last time she had gone on a mission herself, she'd ended up with a broken leg and almost being crushed by the Ankylozord. It wasn't as though he thought she was helpless, she was anything but. He was perfectly certain she'd likely created some form of weapon for herself for just such an eventuality. However, if something HAD caused Ivan and Riley to disappear without a trace, then he figured it was best to take something with a little more punch to it, and right now the strongest thing he knew was their Energems.

"The residual energy's strongest up this way." Kendall told him, pointing a little way off. Tyler followed her directions as closely as possible. Eventually, they reached a clearing, where they got out of the jeep and started to look around.

"I don't see any sign of anyone." Tyler told her. "RILEY! IVAN!"

He didn't get an answer though. Kendall used her scanner, trying to track the residual energy from their last known location. It wouldn't be long before it dispersed. If they could find where they had disappeared, perhaps they could find some kind of clue as to what happened to them. Even with all the things she had seen and created, even things that seemed to defy most of the laws of science, as far as she was aware people didn't just disappear for no reason.

This wasn't good, there was no sign of...well, anyone. There was a reason that Daggeron and Chip had chosen to come all the way out here for their duel. It seemed unlikely anyone would interrupt them all the way out here. It was still, quiet.

"Tyler...do you hear that?" Kendall asked him. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Exactly, don't you think we'd hear something? Squirrels? Birds? Anything at all?"

"Uh...Ms Morgan, you might want to bring your scanner over here." Tyler suggested. Kendall brought it closer, and it did indeed start to spike, but that wasn't the most worrying part. She could see why Tyler had brought her attention to this spot. The ground was scorched, badly scorched. The grass was completely burned away, and the earth beneath was black.

"Please tell me Sledge hasn't got a new weapon." Tyler said, looking to her. Kendall was thinking much the same thing, closely examining the ground. "Wrench did make that bomb..."

"Please, Riley, Ivan be OK?" She worked as she inspected the area.

"Ms Morgan, there's nothing left!" He told her.

"Exactly." Kendall responded. "There's no ash, I'd have expected remains of some kind. Unless the laws of conservation of matter have taken a vacation matter can't be created or destroyed, only changed from one form to another."

"But those monsters we destroy disappear." Tyler protested. She just looked at him.

"Have you ever investigated one of your battle sites after the event?" Kendall asked him. "I've got some samples in my lab if you're interested..."

"You know, I think I'm good." He said, holding up a hand. "So what do you think happened to them?"

"They WERE with two wizards." She reminded him. "I guess some form of teleportation is possible. I don't claim to be an expert in magic."

"So where did they go?" Tyler asked her.

"That would be a very good question." She replied as she dusted off her hands. "Come on, there's nothing to find here."

"Unlike our other battle sites apparently." Tyler said as they headed back for his jeep. "Have you ever heard the phrase 'ignorance is bliss'?"

"Yes, but I never believed it." She answered. "Why?"

"Let's just say, I think I preferred it when I DIDN'T know we've been spending the last eight months blowing monsters to Kingdom Come." He responded, hopping into his vehicle.

Over in the Mystic Realm, Chip was in the archery range, taking on his latest opponent, who appeared to be a centaur. True to form, it was quickly clear that this contest had more than a little bit of a magical variation to it. For one thing, the targets moved, floating around in the air, moving at various speeds to make targeting more difficult.

The centaur lined up his shot and fired, but as the arrow left his bow, it split in the air, turning into almost a dozen arrows and flying in different directions. A cheer went up from his entourage as he turned to face them, holding his bow aloft.

"Ten bulls!" The herald announced. Chip just smiled as he levelled his mystic crossbow over his shoulder, making his way to the line.

"Nice work." He complimented the centaur, before lining up his shot. Sparks started to form up around his body, before he powered up the weapon, opening fire. Several of them exploded in a hail of lightning, at which he once again rested it over his shoulder. He didn't need to hear the result from the herald. The centaur was already over, congratulating Chip on his victory.

"Amazing! I am honoured to have been defeated by such a worthy foe!" He declared, patting Chip on the shoulder.

"The honour is all mine!" Chip assured him. "It's not often I get the chance to test my skills against a centaur!"

"Well, consider yourself always welcome in Jukai Forest!" He declared loudly. "I would be grateful for a re-match."

"I think I might just take you up on that." Chip answered, shaking his hand. "I trust you'll be at the banquet after the tournament?"

"The only thing I love more than a good tourney is a great feast afterwards!" The centaur assured him, before heading off with his entourage.

"Next up, Erytrope of the Merpeople against Princes Diedre of the Mystic Isles." The herald announced as Chip stepped off the range, allowing the next contestants to make their way through. He gave a nod to Diedre.

"Nice to see you again." He greeted her. "Here's hoping for that re-match from last year."

"Or from the three years before that?" She chuckled. "I look forward to making it 0-5."

"Enough of the banter Chip, you're due over at the jousting list." Daggeron reminded him. "Of course there may just be a delay."

"Chip, what the hell was that?" Riley yelled as he came across, looking decidedly less than happy.

"Um...I'm sorry?" He asked.

"You know, the part about where everyone's allowed to use magic, and...oh yeah, the part where apparently people are allowed to decapitate each other!" Riley responded.

"I too believe it was a little remiss of you not to inform us of the true nature of this tournament." Ivan agreed. "My lack of preparation for such a bout almost led to an early defeat."

"I thought you were telling them." Chip said to Daggeron, who just face-palmed.

"You were the one that made the challenge; it was up to you to explain the rules." Daggeron groaned. Chip just looked a little sheepish.

"Oh...right." He responded. "My bad."

"Your bad?" Riley said, looking totally alarmed by his apparent lack of concern. "Would you have been saying that if I'd come to you carrying Ivan's ashes in a goblet?"

"Riley, the only reason they have those rules is because they also have enchantments that stop it from being permanent." Chip told him. He looked around. "Over there, watch!"

They looked to one of the jousting arenas, where one of the competitors was knocked from his horse by an expert blow from an Elf's lance. The brought his steed around, drawing his sword, and dipping down on his saddle, rode up to his opponent as he was getting to his feet, striking his head from his shoulders in a single blow much to the delight of the fans.

As the elf accepted some adulation from the crowd, returning to his entourage, the other competitor started to stir. His head rolled along the ground, back to his body and re-attached itself. Riley and Ivan just watched as he got back to his feet.

"There are princes, emperors; barons...even kings participating in this tournament." Chip explained. "Do you really think some kingdom's going to want to see their monarch killed in a friendly competition?"

"Sir Ivan to the jousting list!" They heard an announcement go up. "Sir Ivan to the jousting list!"

"It looks like you're up." Daggeron told him. "Good luck!"

As Ivan went to the list, requesting a horse from his tent, Riley just looked to Daggeron.

"So, nobody can die here?" He asked, seeking confirmation. Daggeron just nodded.

"Combat out with the events is strictly forbidden." Daggeron told him. "Dying in one of the arenas is magically reversed, but death results in immediate disqualification from the events."

"So no harm comes to the competitors?" Riley asked. Daggeron just sighed.

"I never said that now did I?" He asked. "Why do you think the competitors still need seconds?"

Riley shook his head.

"Only death is reversed, injuries are considered a part of the competition." Daggeron told him. "If a competitor is too injured to carry on, then his second is expected to carry on."

"Yo, Daggeron, we're late for the combat arena!" Chip called to him. "Come on!"

As they left, Riley just looked to the list, where the first tilt was taking place. Ivan was up against a huge creature, with goat horns and dark, matted fur, wearing copper armour that covered all but it's massive, horned head. Instead of a horse, it was riding a furred beast that looked like a wart hog. As they collided for the first time, Ivan rolled a little in his saddle, but managed to stay on, while the creature seemed to be more annoyed by the impact than genuinely stunned. The flags went up, a lance broken on Ivan's helmet for two points, against a lance broken on the torso for Ivan, one point. Ivan was already a point behind.

"Great, now they tell me." Riley grumbled. "Come on Ivan, shake it off! You can handle this!"

Back on Earth, Koda was sitting in a doctor's office. It was an unfamiliar environment to him. While he had seen a hospital when Kendall was hurt, he wasn't used to such things himself. Kendall had always had all the knowledge and technology she needed to take care of any of Koda's injuries herself. He wasn't here for himself however.

Alessandra was sitting in a chair, having her shoulder checked out by the doctor. It had been a couple of weeks since she'd had her accident in the ring, and she was eager to get back. Not only was it something she loved, it was also a large part of her livelihood. The unfortunate thing about her career was that like most, she wasn't signed to any contracts, she was paid by appearance. In short, if she wasn't wrestling, she wasn't getting paid. Right now, she was living off savings, and there was only so long she could do that. It was the reason so many wrestlers worked through injuries. It was rare that anyone worked at a hundred percent health, some even worked with injuries that most athletes would consider career-ending just out of the need to earn money.

The doctor was checking out the mobility in her shoulder, but the pain was obvious in her face as he stretched it out. She tried to put a brave face on it, but Koda could see through it. He held her other hand, a look of concern on his face.

Every movement hurt as the doctor tested the full range of movement. However, Alessandra felt something else as she was concentrating on not letting on how much it hurt. She felt a strong, but surprisingly gentle hand in hers. She looked up to Koda, giving him a little smile. The doctor appeared to finish up his examination.

"I better yes?" She asked, looking to him.

"Better, yes, but you still managed to mess it up pretty nicely." He told her. "I'd strongly suggest you continue to rest it up for a while yet."

Alessandra knew that wasn't really much of an option. She needed to work, and her savings were already starting to run lower than she'd have liked.

"I'll renew your prescription for the meds." He continued. "Now, there is the small matter of my fee."

"Fee?" Koda asked.

"I see from my notes you don't have health insurance." The doctor told her. "I'll have my secretary prepare an invoice."

Alessandra just nodded in understanding. This only made matters worse. She'd only even seen a doctor because Koda insisted out of concern. Ordinarily, after having the initial injury checked out, she'd have taken her chances and just allowed her body to heal itself. Private healthcare was expensive, and that just ate into her savings even faster.

"Thank you doctor." Alessandra sighed, getting up and heading out of the office. Koda followed her as she went to the secretary to collect her bill. She took one look at it and rolled her eyes.

"You forget sling." Koda said as she left.

"Not need." She responded. Koda managed to get in front of her and stop her.

"Doctor say need rest." Koda reminded her. She just looked to him.

"Rest enough. Need to train." She told him. "Show in New Jersey this weekend."

"No!" Koda told her bluntly, trying to stop her leaving. He placed his hands softly on her shoulders as he looked her in the eye. "Not ready, get hurt more."

"I will be fine." She tried to assure him.

"Too soon." Koda told her. "See eyes when doctor move arm. See pain."

"I tape up shoulder." She told him. "I take painkillers."

"That not help!" Koda insisted. "Not go."

"Koda, I do this long time, longer than you." She told him.

"Then should know when hurt too bad." Koda insisted. She just sighed and held up the bill.

"This not pay itself." She told him. Koda took the bill off her and looked to it. He still didn't really get why money was so important to everyone, but he did have a concept of what it meant. He recognised the number, it was surprisingly large. In his time, the village healer would just do their work for a share of the spoils. If the hunters couldn't hunt, then everyone got less, it was that simple. He wondered when healers stopped prioritising the health of their patients over profit.

"I pay." Koda assured her. She just looked to him.

"Koda..."

"I make you come, this bill my fault." Koda interrupted her. "Pay on one condition. You not go to New Jersey. Carl have show in couple of weeks. If wait until then, I pay this bill."

Alessandra wasn't used to accepting charity. Even when she was offered anything, when she was offered a place up in the US, it was an opportunity. She still needed to do the work to make the most of it. No one had given her anything...of course, there was one who had never asked anything of her until now, and the only thing he asked was purely out of concern for her.

"I promise, even help train, make sure you ready." Koda told her with a smile. "What you say?"

She just smiled at him, pulling in and kissing him gently on the cheek. Koda couldn't help smiling as she pulled away from him.

"I promise." She assured him. "Maybe if train hard, you can be on show too."

Koda just nodded wordlessly as she turned to leave. As he followed her, his hand strayed to his cheek, it still felt warm.


	21. The Golden Standard

The tournament was progressing well, and the atmosphere was starting to become infectious. Riley still couldn't keep it out of his mind what Daggeron had told him. He was grateful to know that Ivan couldn't strictly speaking "die" in the tournament. At least...not permanently, he would be regenerated if that happened, albeit having forfeited the tournament. However, it didn't take long for him to see that it was also true he could most certainly be HURT.

He wasn't just a fan of fencing, that was more a symptom of what he loved more than anything. He loved the whole idea of a way of life which was governed through respect and chivalry. He had always loved all those societies, the Samurai of Japan, the Musketeer Corp. of France, the Cavaliers of Europe, but in particular he had a fondness for the Knights of Europe. He was enthralled by the idea that men would pledge themselves heart, body and soul to defending others. He loved the idea that they would without question use their minds, their will, their courage, and if need be, would more than willingly put their bodies and their very lives on the line to defend those that couldn't. Before he was even ten years old, he had memorised the Knight's Oath, the oath they would take on their sword to spend their life using it to defend those that couldn't. It was an ideal he had lived up to, and just one of the many reasons he was so giddy about becoming a Ranger. He could not imagine anything closer to being a knight in the modern era.

As the day went on though, it became more and more clear that the second part, the fact injuries would NOT be healed by magic, but had to be treated between bouts by conventional means was strictly enforced. Part of the contest was testing the participant's physical and mental will to continue, and so fighting injured was all taken as just a part of that. If they had to pull out, that was just one of those things. Every time Ivan took a shot in the combat arena or a lance shattered against him, Riley's heart skipped a few beats, but when he got up, when he continued, he did so to huge applause. Vendors were now hurriedly creating Sir Ivan merchandise as some of the spectators started to chant for him. Despite his concern, Riley couldn't help getting swept up in the atmosphere and applauding and cheering him on too.

Ivan was just finishing up with one of the events, his final round in the Archery event as it happened. Ivan was a skilled archer, that much Riley knew. He'd seen him in action with his Ptera Morpher more than a few times. When he was in the archery arena, he had darted around, leaping and flipping around for position, taking down targets with pinpoint accuracy. He had managed to score a perfect round, taking down every target with a straight bull. It had earned him a huge cry from the crowd, and it meant that the only way his opponent could beat him was to take down the targets faster. Since it had taken him less than a minute to take down fifteen, that would be a tall order.

"Ivan, you did great!" Riley congratulated him as Ivan sat down, powering down. Ivan just smiled.

"I did all I could." He responded. "Though I must admit, perhaps taking on less events would have been an idea."

Riley couldn't help thinking back to his first and so far only tournament. He had taken on the foil, epee and sabre events in his first fencing tournament. He loved them all so much, he hadn't thought to only compete in one, but in the end it had cost him. He'd done exceptionally well for his debut performance. He'd ended up with a silver medal in all three events, an achievement that was pretty much unheard of for an untested fencer, but a deciding factor had been fatigue. Spending all his time running between mats, he hadn't given himself time to rest between bouts. He still couldn't help wondering if he'd only taken on two, or perhaps maybe even only one of the events if he could have taken that all-elusive gold he craved. Ivan looked exhausted as he sat on the stool, pulling off his helmet, but he still had a huge smile on his face.

His opponent stepped up, and Riley was waiting to see what they could do. He knew that the highest honour went to the winner of the joust, who was declared Grand Champion. He almost wondered if it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if he lost just one event just to lighten his schedule. Everyone watched as she set up, gesturing to her second to enter the arena. Everyone waited to see what she was up to as he emptied a quiver, holding the arrows in his hand. At her nod, he threw the arrows into the air.

Riley's heart sank, and he felt almost like he had betrayed Ivan as his opponent granted his wish in record time. The second threw the arrows into the air, at which she unleashed a gail-force wind from her crossbow, driving the arrows into the targets. Fifteen bulls...in only three seconds!

"Your winner, and advancing to the finals of the archery event, Princess Diedre of the Mystic Isles!" The herald announced. There were a lot of cheers for her; she had a lot of fans it seemed. Ivan stood up as she approached him, taking off her helmet.

"You did well Sir Ivan." She congratulated him in a thickly-accented voice, extending a hand. "Better luck next time."

"You honour me with your grace in victory Your Highness." Ivan said, accepting her handshake and giving her a respectful bow. "Your skill is obvious. I fear Sir Charles will be hard pushed to break your streak."

"I certainly hope so." She chuckled. She pulled in closer. "Between you and me, we have a wager on it I'd really rather not lose."

"Then I wish you well." Ivan replied. He and Riley turned to head back to his tent, while Diedre took in her adulation. Riley just sighed.

"Ivan, I'm sorry..."

"Do not be, it happens." Ivan answered matter-of-factly. "There is no shame in being defeated in battle, especially by a deserving opponent."

"I know you're disappointed, I was too when I came up short." Riley told him. "If you hadn't taken on three events, if you weren't beat up and tired..."

"Riley, if you are serious about being a knight, then you do have much to learn." Ivan told him. "Tourneys are meant to be simulations of battles, are they not?"

Riley just nodded.

"Do you think an opposing army will be considerate enough to give you time to rest and heal between attacks?" Ivan asked him. "Fatigue is a part of battle. Injury is a part of battle. They are not excuses to whine about, they are obstacles to overcome."

"But this isn't..."

"I have been on many battlefields, long before I wore this morpher." Ivan told him. "I once defended the Royal Standard with a broken arm and no sword. I once fought for two days with neither sleep nor respite."

He drew a little closer.

"The most unpleasant part was the hunger." Ivan told him. Riley just looked a little confused. "We used to fast for two days before a major battle if we could."

"You did...wait, what?" Riley asked. "Why?"

"You saw how long it took for me to put on that armour didn't you?" Ivan asked him. "Can you imagine removing it to use the latrine? How unpleasant do you think it would be walking around with that inside your armour?"*

Riley just scrunched his nose in disgust thinking about it. Ivan just laughed. He clapped him hard on the back.

"Why do you think we always had such a huge feast when the battle was done?" He asked. "Now, I do have some time before..."

"Sir Ivan?" Someone asked. It was a young, blonde girl wearing an aquamarine dress, patterned with golden thread. She had pale skin and brilliant blue eyes that had a unique shine to them. Her hair was held back by a couple of braids plaited from the sides of her head, then pulled back and tied back to hold it in place. She was wearing a silver tiara. "You're um..."

Her words tailed off a little as she stared at them. Ivan and Riley stared back.

"I'm just examining my Lord." Riley told her. "I don't know who you are or how you got in here, but if you wouldn't mind..."

"I...uh...I'm...uh...meant to be here." She told them.

"You're MEANT to be here?" Riley asked. "Would you mind explaining that?"

As he stared at her, the girl seemed to almost look away from him, but at the same time didn't move, almost like she didn't know if she should stand her ground or just leave. Riley came closer.

"Look, could you just...?"

"Riley, allow the lady to speak." Ivan stated. "You said you carried a message?"

"The call has been made for you Sir Ivan." She told him. "You're due in the jousting list."

"Ivan, you can..."

"It will be fine Riley." He assured him, getting up and putting his helmet back on. Riley just rolled his eyes and followed him. The young girl just stood, frozen to the spot, watching them go. She was lost in thoughts, chewing her lip. Phineas came in a short time later, carrying a tankard.

"Hey, Ivan, move those shiny buns of yours, you're due in..." He saw the girl, and more importantly that she was the only one in the tent. "Where are they?"

"I delivered the message." She informed him. "They're on their way to the list."

"Damn, I've missed every one of his entrances; I'm the worst herald ever!" He grumbled. He then looked to her. "So...what are you STILL doing here?"

He noticed the girl blushing. He just sighed.

"Really?" He asked her.

"WHAT?" She asked him. "He's kind of...well...he seemed..."

"You'd be better off concentrating on your education." He replied. "You know what these tournaments are like; most of the competitors are here for the banquet and the...events...afterwards."

"I don't need lectures!" She replied, stomping her foot and pouting. "You're not my father!"

"No, I'm your uncle." He reminded her. She just groaned and threw up her hands.

"Only by marriage!" She replied as she stormed off.

Back in Amber Beach, Kendall and Tyler were back in the lab, following up on Kendall's theory that Ivan and Riley had been transported instead of destroyed. Kendall was starting to get extremely agitated as she searched. She was confident they were still alive, checking their Zords, they were both still active which meant that their Dino Gems were still active. Unfortunately though, there was still no sign of them.

Tyler came in, carrying a couple of sodas. He tripped and stumbled a little, looking aside seeing Koda sitting, resting against a rock.

"Oh, sorry Koda." He replied. Koda just said something in an unintelligible sigh and continued to stare into space with a dreamy expression. Tyler just shook his head and walked past him, heading to the work bench where Kendall was working.

"What's up with the big guy?" He asked her.

"God only knows, he's been like that since he got here." She replied a little shortly. "He's alive and we know where he is, let's deal with one problem at a time Tyler."

"Right, have you found them?" He asked.

"If I had, would I still be sitting here?" She asked him.

"I'm not the enemy here, I'm frustrated too." He reminded her. She relented as she took the soda from him.

"Sorry Tyler, I'm just so...so frustrated." She told him. "They're alive, I know that much, but...I suspect another dimension..."

"Can't you just scan them all?" He asked her. She just glared at him.

"Do you have any idea how many dimensions there are? If you do, you're beating the combined might of all the most brilliant minds on this planet." Kendall told him. "Just going on our own laws of physics and reality, going purely on Multiverse theory, every time a decision is made a new dimension is born."

"Uh...OK?" Tyler said.

"Do you have any idea how many decisions a SINGLE PERSON makes in one day?" She asked. "If you wear red underwear or yellow, if you have coffee or tea...the average person will make hundreds, possibly thousands of decisions in a day, the cause and effect of which all create a new reality. If you multiply that by the seven billion people on the planet..."

"Alright, I get it, sorry I asked." Tyler replied, holding his hands up defensively. Just then, he thought of something. "Kendall, you say they're somewhere else right?"

"Yes." She replied.

"Well, if they are, and they can't contact us...they might think they're in trouble." He responded.

"Of course!" She replied. "But what does that have to do with...?"

That was when the penny dropped. The Rangers could access their arsenal from anywhere! If they thought they were in trouble, it would only be natural instinct for them to call their weapons and suits. She ran to another console and pulled up the information on the Ranger arsenal.

"The suits and weapons are all charging, all except Ivan's." She commented.

"Whoa, I don't know what all those numbers mean, but I know what normal is, and that doesn't look good." Tyler stated.

"No, it's definitely not." She replied. "I don't know where he is, but whatever he's doing, Ivan's giving his equipment a serious workout...and it looks like it's taking a hell of a beating!"

Back at the tournament, Ivan prepared for another tilt at the list. He was feeling every bruise, every strain, but he hadn't felt so alive in centuries! This tournament flooded a life into him he never believed he would have again! Right now, the score was two lances to three; his opponent was behind on the final tilt. As he rode at his opponent, he noticed the knight tossing aside his lance.

"Water around me!" He declared, blue armour forming up around him. He suddenly had a trident in his hand in place of the lance. He brought it up, at which it glowed brightly. He was upon him before Ivan could respond. The next thing he knew, he was tumbling backwards off his horse, hitting the ground hard.

"Ivan has been unhorsed, we await his word!" The herald declared. Ivan held up a hand. "He will continue!"

He knew what this meant, normally if a rider was unhorsed, he would lose automatically, however if it was a joust to the end, then it would continue on foot if the unhorsed rider agreed, perhaps even continuing on foot. Ivan called up his Ptera Sabre, and turned to face his opponent.

"Come on Ivar!" Angus called out from the audience. "He's on the ropes!"

Ivar came down, levelling his trident at Ivan, who just stood his ground. Ivan stood, waiting until he was close enough, before moving. Extending his wings, he flew at Ivar, hooking his trident under his arm and bringing the tip into the ground. Ivar didn't have time to release it, and was catapulted, like a pole-vaulter straight off his horse onto the ground.

By the time Ivan landed and turned back to him, the Blue Mystic Knight had turned onto his back and kipped up to his feet, clutching his trident in a guard. The score was now five to six in Ivan's favour.

"Nice move." Ivar complimented him. Ivan just smirked.

"I fought my first tournament of honour when I was fifteen years old." Ivan responded as they started to circle each other. Their weapons clashed and scythed through the air as the crowd exploded in excitement. Both of them recoiled and returned to a guard, while the judges scored the exchange. It was now seven apiece.

"Nicely done." Ivan complimented his opponent, swinging around his sword. He surged forward, launching out to the side. He aimed to get past the point. The advantage of pole arm weapons was their reach, but the disadvantage was that once past the point, the opponent was vulnerable. The secret was getting past the point. There was another quick exchange, which electrified the audience. Ivan managed to score across Ivar's stomach, and again across his back, but upon his retreat, he took a hard thrust to the thigh, which went through, piercing his leg as his suit failed. He'd used a lot of power in this tournament so far. He collapsed to a knee as Ivar gripped his trident. The flags went up; it was now nine to eight in Ivan's favour. The Blue Mystic Knight saw Ivan was hurt and held up a hand.

"You've fought well Sir Ivan." He stated. "I won't strike if you ask it."

"I will finish!" Ivan grunted. "I have NEVER not finished!"

"Then I will make it quick." He responded. He started to cast a spell, summoning up a tidal wave, looking to sweep Ivan out of the arena, forcing a defeat. Ivan saw this plan, but he remembered something that he had been taught by his new friends. He forced himself to his feet, his leg struggling to keep him up. As Ivar cast forward the wave, he slammed his Ptera Sabre closed with three Dino Chargers in it, and drove it point-first into the ground.

As the wave hit, Ivan struggled to hold the sword, anchoring himself to the ground, but the water did one other thing. He remembered what Riley told him once, when he was about to take the hair dryer into the bath...water and electricity didn't mix! The full force of his lightning power channelled through the water, coursing through Ivar. By the time the wave dissipated, Ivar fell to the ground unconscious. The flags went up, nine to ten, Ivan had won!

"Sir Ivan progresses to the final of the joust!" The Herald announced. Phineas and Riley went to his side.

"Sorry I missed your announcement again, but there was this huge line at the tavern and..." Phineas started to say. "I totally promise, I'll be there for the final of the sword."

"You may be, but I will not." Ivan responded. They both looked to him as he leant on Riley for support. "I'm through."

"Ivan, you're..." That was when Riley saw how serious the wound in his leg was. Ivan was almost standing on willpower alone. He looked up in alarm. "Alright, we'll tell the others you..."

"If you say withdraw, I will be most unhappy." Ivan told him. "Riley, you have only the final of the combat on foot event and the final joust to go."

"Ivan..."

"Riley, I chose you as my second because I believe in you." Ivan told him. He looked to the Green Ranger intently. "Will you continue for me?"


	22. Riley's Opponent

Later, in his tent, Riley was beginning to prepare for the event ahead. The final of the combat on foot event was set to take place any minute. His heart was pounding as he thought about it. Having watched the rest of the tourney, he now had a better understanding of the rules. He knew what was being asked of him, and it didn't sound good at all. He was going into a contest where it was perfectly within the rules for his opponent to try and kill him. It was terrifying to just watch those bouts, thinking that soon he was going to be in one, not just against any opponent, but a knight who was one battle away from claiming the title was a whole different level.

However, there was another feeling there. Riley had grown up with stories of all the ancient ways. He had loved all of them, and on more than one occasion had imagined what it would be like to be a real knight. He couldn't hide how excited he was being here, in this place, immersed in one of the stories he had loved so much, but now he was getting a chance to take an active part. He was disappointed for Ivan that he had come so far only to fall just short, but as he thought about getting out into the arena himself, he couldn't help smiling.

"Riley, you appear to be underdressed." Ivan told him as he hobbled over, using a crutch to support him. He had won his last bout, but in the process he had taken a devastating injury to the leg that would prevent him continuing.

"I don't need armour." Riley stated, gesturing to his morpher. "I have this remember?"

"That doesn't mean you can't look the part." Ivan told him, fetching the surcoat he had made for him out of his baggage. Riley just smiled as he took it from him. He pulled it over his head, securing it around his waist with a belt. "It suits you."

"Hey, nice surcoat." Phineas said as he came in, seeing Riley standing ready. "A little on the plain side..."

"I've...not really done anything to earn the right to any patterns on it yet." Riley explained. He had only been given his surcoat shortly after becoming Ivan's squire. Right now it was a very simple design reflecting the start of his career. The upper body was green, while it was white below the belt.

"Well, you might just get a chance in a little while." Phineas told him. "They're calling for you in the combat on foot arena."

"OK, if I remember rightly, it was either Prince Caledon of the Elven Kingdom, or Chip." Riley stated as he took a deep breath. "I guess this is it."

He got up and headed for the arena, following up Phineas. One of the heralds was about to say something when Phineas interrupted him.

"Wait, wait...not this time buddy." Phineas rushed out. "My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen. Standing in as the Second for Sir Ivan of Zandar...uh...Riley."

There was silence from the crowd. Riley just looked to Phineas.

"That's...that's it?" He asked. Phineas just shrugged.

"Hey, I didn't know you'd be competing. You didn't exactly give me a lot of prep time to put something together." Phineas told him. He patted him on the shoulder. "Just win this and you'll give me some material for my final announcement, I promise."

Riley just started to stretch off, preparing as some heralds hung up another shield. It wasn't one he recognised.

"Wait, I thought it was Caledon and Chip in the other semi-final?" Riley said to Ivan. Phineas had noticed the change of shield too. He ran over to the other heralds, looking for some information. He came running back just as some trumpets started blaring. "What's going on Phineas?"

"See...you were in the tent tending to Ivan, so you didn't see the other semi-final." Phineas told them. "Um...Chip took a sword to the shoulder taking the final point. He had to pull out."

"Oh...so that means..."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, returning to the battle arena, the Lord of the Bound Battle, Sir Daggeron, the Solaris Knight of Briarwood!" Another herald called out as Daggeron stepped into the arena. Riley looked to Ivan as he saw Daggeron preparing for the battle to begin.

"Riley, steel yourself." Ivan beckoned him. "You have the skills, find the courage."

Riley started to head towards the centre of the arena, where Daggeron was already waiting.

"Ivan has said a lot about you." Daggeron said as he pulled out his morpher. "I'm looking forward to this. Magical Source, MYSTIC FORCE!"

"Unleash the POWER!" Riley called out as he morphed, calling up his Dino Sabre.

Back in Amber Beach, Kendall was starting to get even more frantic in her search for the two missing Rangers. Missing Rangers were never a good thing. It wasn't like she was a voyeur; it wasn't as though she kept an eye on them every moment of their lives. Frankly, she didn't really are what Chase got up to when he wasn't at the museum, as for Tyler and Shelby...well...she could pretty much guess and didn't really want that mental image. However, she liked the fact that if the Rangers were needed, she could contact them. She liked to know that if she really wanted to know where they were in case of an attack, or worse, a distress call from one of them, she could locate them to within a few feet of their location.

However, Ivan and Riley had now been out of contact of any sort for several hours. She was getting so desperate she had even tried Riley's cell phone, but so far there was nothing that worked. It was no surprise now that they were working on the theory that they were in another dimension, but that was like narrowing down the search for a single grain of sand to "somewhere on that beach".

Right now, she was relying on the Ranger phone tree. She had called Anton, since he had met Chip before, asking who to contact.

"Vida here." The Mystic Force Pink Ranger answered as she sorted through the latest delivery at the Rock Porium. She trapped the phone between her shoulder and her head. "Who's this?"

"Hi, Vida Thorne?" The voice on the other end asked.

"Yes, that's me." She answered. Kendall just sighed.

"Hi, you don't know me; I got your number from a mutual friend, Anton Mercer." She told her. Vida just laughed.

"You don't know much about Briarwood do you?" She asked. "Trust me, everyone here knows about us. I'm just putting you on speaker alright?"

Vida was right about that. The final battle for the Mystic Rangers took place spanning across both the Mystic Realm and the real world. Indeed, it was the combined belief of the people of Briarwood that had returned the Rangers' powers when they were taken by the Master. Kendall wasn't too sure about this idea though. Everyone in Briarwood might know who the Mystic Rangers were, but the Dino Charge Rangers had worked hard to keep their identities a secret. Even for a city that had proven it could keep its own secrets, she wasn't sure she wanted to blurt out theirs.

"Well...um...it's about...I'm calling from Amber Beach." She began. "It's about our team. Your husband..."

"Great, what's he done now?" Vida sighed as she continued to sort out the box she was working on. "Tobi said he ran out of here yesterday sometime and...wait, did you say Amber Beach?"

"Yeah, he kind of turned up and challenged one of our team." Kendall told her.

"Hold on a second." She said, before calling over to the other side of the shop. "Xander!"

"What?" He called back, turning away from his customer, a forest creature that had stopped by to ask about the latest country and western albums.

"Do you know anything about where Chip is?" She asked him.

"Check the calendar, Vida!" He called back. "It's the tournament!"

"Wait, it's been a year already?" She asked him.

"Yeah, it's a fortnight after your anniversary!" He told her.

"Great, I've forgotten that as well." She muttered, turning back to the phone. "Alright, the good news is we know what's happened to them. There's a tournament between dimensions among magical beings every year. It looks like my husband has taken your team mates there."

"Right, so where is it?" Kendall asked.

"See, that would be the bad news." Vida responded. "They never hold it the same place twice. No one knows where it's held, it can only be accessed by invitation or having a valid ticket."

"So what are we meant to do?" Kendall asked.

"The only thing you can do is wait until they get back." Vida answered. "I'm sorry we couldn't be more helpful."

"It's alright, at least we know something. Thanks for your time." Kendall answered, hanging up. She looked to Tyler, who had been listening in on the conversation.

"So...they're at a tournament?" He asked.

"It sounds like it." Kendall responded. Just then, her console sounded an alert. She looked to it, seeing that Ivan's equipment had been returned for repairs.

"Oh, that can't be good." Tyler commented. "Whatever he's been doing, his equipment is pretty thrashed!"

"You think that's bad?" Kendall asked him. "According to this, Riley's just accessed his equipment."

"Oh, that definitely isn't good." Tyler responded.

Back at the tournament, the crowd was going wild for the final of the combat on foot event. Daggeron and Riley were putting on a master class of swordsmanship. They were almost fifteen minutes into the bout, and yet both men had only just managed to score a couple of points on each other.

Riley struggled with his opponent, using every ounce of skill he had. He had trained extensively, and had impressive skills as evidenced not only by his performance in his first tournament, but also his battles as a Ranger, but Daggeron was easily one of the most skilled opponents he had ever faced. Daggeron had served as a knight for close to 20 years, even before his time with the Mystic Rangers. Their blades flashed through the air, clashing with each other before Riley finally managed to find an opening. Daggeron staggered away as the flag went up. The score was now six to five in Riley's favour. For the first time, he was now ahead of Daggeron.

"Your skills are impressive young squire!" Daggeron said, straightening himself out. He threw back his cloak. "Ivan's boasts do not do you justice."

"I can see your reputation is well deserved too." Riley replied, gripping his Dino Sabre tightly as he tried to catch his breath. Despite the age difference, Daggeron was in impressive shape. It was tough just keeping pace with him. Daggeron drove his sword into the ground, before pulling out an object that looked a lot like a magic lamp. He wound it up, before levelling it his way.

"Laser Lamp!" Daggeron called out, firing off a shot. Riley took a hit square in the chest, ending up on the ground. He rolled back to his feet, just as the flag went up. He was able to block another couple of blasts, before another two hit him. The score was now eight to six!

Riley tuned out the crowd concentrating on his battle. He knew that Daggeron had magic on his side, but he didn't know what else to do. He couldn't think how to get past the laser blasts. He had the power of the Energem, but it wasn't like he had flame breath, or the power to cast whirlwinds or anything like that. How could he defeat lasers?

That was when he remembered the day he got the Energem. He had run from the woods back to the farm, faster even than his dog Rubik. He had beaten Rubik home. The Velociraptor was known as an ambush hunter, hunting in packs and launching lightning-fast attacks. It was estimated that a velociraptor over open ground could hit upwards of 65 miles an hour! He doubted he had that kind of speed, but he did know that he could move faster than he had before.

"If you want to go to the power boosts, then so can I!" Riley stated. "Dino Steel Mode!"

He called up his armour, and his raptor claw, breaking into a run straight for Daggeron. He darted this way and that as the Solaris Knight tried to hit him with lasers, before raking into him with his claws, and slicing him down with his sword. Daggeron barely managed to parry a third as he rolled away, flipping back to his feet. The score was now tied at eight apiece.

"Try dodging this!" Daggeron called out, powering up the Laser Lamp to full. He aimed it up into the air, firing up wards, at which several blasts started to arc downwards. Riley dodged for all he was worth, making his way back towards the Solaris Knight, taking a shot as he slammed into him. He managed to send the Laser Lamp spinning into the crowd, and Daggeron tumbling away as he delivered a shot. That left them both on nine apiece, the match point. Daggeron took up his sword as Riley came upon him.

Flashes of light flooded the arena as they put everything they had into their blows. The crowd came alive as Riley's Raptor Claw was sent spinning through the air, slamming into a wooden post just outside the ring.

Riley and Daggeron surged towards each other, and there was a ring of steel. Both of them stood stock still, and the crowd fell silent. Everyone waited with baited breath, the wind the only sound anyone could hear. Eventually, Daggeron fell to his knees. As the flag went up, confirming the point, the crowd erupted.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, your winner, and champion of the combat on foot event, Riley Griffin!" Phineas announced. Riley couldn't help smiling as he pulled off his helmet and started waving. This was a moment he had always dreamed of. This was what he had hoped for back home at the fencing tournament. For once in his life, people were cheering for HIM.

The crowd fell silent as he turned and saw Daggeron a little way off, getting back to his feet. The Solaris Knight strode purposefully towards him. As he stared at Riley for a moment, he pulled off his helmet, before grabbing Riley's hand and lifting it aloft, pointing to him. Riley felt his heart racing as the crowd cheered for him.

"It's been a long time since I've faced someone like you young squire." Daggeron told him. "You fought well."

"So did you." Riley responded. "I thought you had me there for a while. I was sure of it."

"Enjoy your victory." Daggeron told him. "You earned it."

With that, he walked out of the arena, to where his entourage were waiting, leaving Riley to his moment of glory. Ivan quickly joined him.

"I did it Ivan! I actually did it!" Riley exclaimed excitedly.

"Indeed you did Riley, congratulations!" Ivan told him. "But do not peak too early; you still have the joust to go!"

With that, they led Riley off the arena, back towards his tent to prepare for the last event of the day.


	23. The Final Event

As Riley got back to his tent, his face already ached from smiling. He just couldn't bring himself to stop. He was almost as bruised from members of the crowd reaching out just to get a touch of the new champion of the combat arena as he was from his battle with Daggeron, but he didn't care. Every burning bruise, every painful strain melted away as he saw children chanting his name, and merchandise vendors hurriedly trying to prepare something, ANYTHING that sported his colours and likeness so that the audience could take home something of their new hero. It seemed, the inhabitants of the Mystic Realms were nothing if not fickle in their support, just as a lot of the sports fans Riley had seen in his world were.

"Come Riley, we must prepare you for the joust." Ivan told him.

"Prepare?" Riley asked as he pulled off his helmet, getting a chance to catch his breath. "I feel like I could take on Sledge's entire army single-handed!"

"The energy and strength you feel is common. I believe Lady Kendall told me it is called adrenaline."

"No doubt along with a heavy dose of endorphins, but whatever it is, I feel like..."

"Perhaps it feels like you are about to enter a contest against one of the strongest warriors in all the Mystic Realms for the title of Tournament Grand Champion?" He asked. Riley just smiled and nodded frantically. "I must ask though Riley; by any chance do you know HOW to joust?"

Riley suddenly stopped in his tracks. These words hit him like a blow to the gut. It wasn't as though jousting was a common pastime in his realm anymore. Even the bouts put on at renaissance fairs were staged affairs put on by people with extensive stunt training to make it look good while ensuring the bouts weren't lethal. Riley had seen a few such bouts, but with the exception of today, he had never even seen a REAL joust, never mind participated in one.

"Oh SHIT! I don't know how to joust!" Riley rushed out. "I'm not even too fond of horses! That was always more Matt's thing than mine! I can ride, but..."

"Be easy Riley, there is more to the joust than just...uh...jousting." Ivan reminded him. "I did not intend to panic you into withdrawing, but if you are to face this challenge, you must be focused. You cannot go into this bout with your head swimming in the heady heights of victory."

He could see the disappointed look in Riley's face, and came over, putting his arm around his shoulders.

"There will be ample time for you to feast and enjoy your victory." Ivan assured him.

"Believe that. The feasts at these things are amazing." Daggeron announced as he walked into their tent. "Believe me; you haven't lived until you've eaten slow-roasted Fire Beast with red current jus."

"Sir Daggeron, to what do we owe the pleasure?" Ivan asked. Daggeron approached slowly.

"I wished once again to congratulate Riley on his victory." Daggeron told them. "I was eager to see if your tales of your squire were justified. You know how we knights are prone to bragging and exaggeration. I am pleased to say though; he has far exceeded my expectations." Daggeron stated as he approached Riley for a handshake.

"You put on a really good bout too." Riley answered, shaking his hand. "I've got a feeling once the adrenaline wears off I'm really going to be feeling this for days."

"We shall see." Daggeron answered. "Though I didn't just come to congratulate the young squire. I also came to offer him a gift for his final bout."

He let out a whistle, at which a brilliant white steed came through, coming into the tent. Riley didn't claim to be as into horses as his brother, but he could see that this was a fine animal, thickly muscled, but lean and with a fine, healthy coat. It also had a long horn sprouting from its brow. Riley approached it, stroking its main tentatively with his hand.

"You have got to be kidding me." Riley whispered. "You're giving me a unicorn?"

"I am LENDING you my steed for your joust." Daggeron corrected him, resting his hand against the beast. "Brightstar has served me well on many battlefields. He one of the swiftest and strongest creatures in all the realms, and every bit as intelligent as any human I have met. He will serve you well, if you will have him."

"Are you kidding me?" Riley yelled excitedly. "How often am I going to get the chance to ride a freaking unicorn? Thank you Daggeron!"

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine." Daggeron told him. "Now, your opponent is a skilled warrior, but he is not unbeatable. No opponent is. Just remember your skills, and try to bring the battle to where it favours you."

"And as a piece of advice, try not to miss." Ivan said, handing Riley a lance. "You do not score if you miss."

"Just think of it as a thrust with a sword." Daggeron told him. "Just...at very high speed."

"Thanks, that's...really helpful advice." Riley answered, trying his hardest not to sound sarcastic. Just then, another person came into the tent. They were half expecting it to be Phineas, but it turned out to be the blonde herald from earlier. She looked a little uneasy as she looked to them.

"Good lady, how may we help you?" Ivan asked her.

"I...I...um...was here with a message...for Riley." She stammered nervously. Ivan and Daggeron both looked to Riley, who was just a little surprised. He pointed to himself as if looking for confirmation. She just nodded.

"I believe that we have business elsewhere." Ivan said to Daggeron as he got up, limping from the tent. "Come, if I cannot compete in the final bout, perhaps you can show me where I can get some good, hot wine."

Daggeron went with Ivan, but gave the young girl a glance as he went. Given the look she gave him in return, it seemed like they knew each other. Riley made his way over to her, a little curious to know why she was there.

"How can I help you?" He asked. "Are they ready for me on the list?"

"No, you still have a couple of minutes." She told him. "You were really great in the combat arena."

"You really think so?" He asked, looking to lean against the centre support beam. He narrowly missed it, stumbling a little, before quickly correcting himself and leaning against it, trying to act like nothing had happened. The young herald had noticed though, and cupped her hand over her mouth, laughing a little. Riley just sighed.

"OK, I guess I'm good with a sword, but that doesn't stop me being a klutz." He commented. She looked to him, waiting a moment before she lowered her hand, revealing a cute, slightly off-centre smile. She pulled a turquoise handkerchief out of her wrist cuff, and tied it around Riley's right forearm. He just smiled. "What's this?"

"It's for good luck." She told him, looking into his eyes. "Fans give them to some of the other knights..."

"Thank you." Riley interrupted her, seeing that she was still struggling to speak to him. He was well aware of the custom in tournaments of granting favours. Knights on the tournament circuit were like the athletes, movie stars, reality TV stars and rock stars of their generation all rolled into one. Men envied them, and women wanted to be with them. In return, they were nothing if not receptive to this reputation. Before they competed, they would regularly ride around the stands, collecting favours from the ladies in the audience, personal tokens that they would wear or carry into competition for luck. "I could do with all the luck I can get."

"Well, they should be about ready for you." She told him. "I'll let you get to the list, Phineas..."

"Yeah, Phineas...he seems to have disappeared again." Riley answered, mounting Brightstar. "You're a herald aren't you? Would you like to introduce me?"

He offered her a hand, at which she reached up, and Riley helped her onto the back of Brightstar behind her. He rode the unicorn out of the tent, heading for the list. It wasn't long after they left, before Phineas came in, carrying a large flagon.

"So, Riley, given how well you've done, I thought before your final bout you might like..." His words tailed off as he realised the tent was empty. "Riley? Aw, damn it, not again!"

With that, he ran from the tent, slopping the contents of the flagons everywhere as he went.

Back in the real world, Chase was running around like a lunatic trying to deal with the lunch rush. With Tyler in the lab helping Kendall try to locate Riley and Ivan, and Shelby having to cover the tours, he was left holding the fort in the cafe with Koda.

He was struggling to keep up with everything. People were throwing orders at him left and right, and right now the tables somewhat resembled Chernobyl at ground zero. He brought a tray full of dishes into the back, to where Koda was manning the grill.

"OK, I need three Pleiso-fish fillets, two Raptor Chicken Nuggets, and four Bronto Burgers, two well done, one medium and one rare." Chase told him. He was starting to load dishes into the rack for the pot wash, but couldn't help noticing he didn't get a response. "Koda, did you hear...?"

He looked across, seeing Koda staring into space with a dreamy expression, and a massive grin across his face. Chase approached him, looking to him.

"Um...Koda?" He asked, approaching closer. He waved a hand in front of his face. "Is anyone in there?"

Koda just sighed, continuing to stare off into space. Chase just sighed.

"Koda, three Pleiso-fish fillets, two Raptor Chicken Nuggets and four Bronto Burgers." Chase said. Koda looked at him blankly for a moment, before starting to make up the order. He reached across for some of the ingredients.

"Good, now maybe we can get back to..." Chase's words tailed off as he noticed something. "KODA, YOUR HAND'S ON THE HOTPLATE!"

Koda just looked to Chase, before looking down at his hand. He recoiled quickly, letting out a yell as he did so. Chase was quickly at his side to inspect the injury. The skin was a little red, but fortunately, it seemed like Chase had noticed before Koda had done any real harm. It was tender to the touch, but he had managed to pull away before it had done any real harm.

"I'll get the first aid kit." Chase told him, looking for the cooling cream for burns. Koda didn't say anything, just sitting, waiting on Chase. The Black Ranger returned with the cream, taking Koda's hand. Once he was satisfied he didn't need to take Koda to a hospital or anything, he just started rubbing the ointment into the wound. He noticed that Koda didn't even react to this. "You know, you really should pay more attention when you're working the grill."

Koda didn't respond though. Chase knew it was a little ironic that he was the one telling someone to pay attention. It wasn't like he wasn't prone to distraction. Indeed, one time he was manning the grill, he had almost burned down the whole restaurant. Seeing Koda sitting, his face on his hand, still staring off into space, he finally couldn't help himself.

"Alright big guy, talk to Uncle Chase." Chase beckoned him. Koda just looked at him confused.

"You not my uncle." Koda told him. "Koda's uncle gone many years."

"Was that the one that invented the wheel?" Chase asked. Koda just nodded. "You know, I don't know why you don't claim the rights to that. If you claimed the royalties on that, you would have some serious coin."

"No patent office in my time." Koda replied. Chase shook his head and got back to the matter of hand.

"Listen, you've been a million miles away all shift." Chase said as he finished treating his hand. "What's got you like this?"

"Alessandra." He said with a distant expression. Chase just looked to him and smiled.

"Alessandra? You like Alessandra?" He asked him. Koda just looked to him.

"I like her, she good friend." Koda explained. "But...think about her more since..."

"Since...what?" Chase asked him. Koda leaned in, kissing Chase on the cheek. The Black Ranger was a little stunned by this, but he realised that even now, at times Koda's language skills failed him. He smiled.

"You kissed her?" Chase asked.

"She...kiss me." Koda corrected him. Chase smiled and hit him in the shoulder with a buddy punch.

"Nicely done my man!" Chase congratulated him. "She is a stone-cold fox, nice job!"

Koda let out a low growl, at which Chase pulled back a little.

"You know...I mean, not that it matters to me, I'm with Allison, but...I'm happy for you." Chase told him. "So, what's happening?"

"Nothing." Koda said with a shrug. "Help her train for show in couple of weeks."

"You're...helping her train?" Chase asked. Koda just nodded.

"Alessandra good friend, want to help get better." Koda told him.

"Dude, no one gets taken this far into La La Land over a friend." Chase told him. Koda just shrugged.

"Guess I do." Koda answered, looking to his hand. "Thank you for help."

With that, he went back to work. Chase just smiled and shook his head.

"It looks like he's growing up." He commented, before getting up and heading back out into the chaos of the restaurant floor.

Back at the Tourney, Riley rode up to the list, letting the herald down to the ground. He leaned down to her.

"Well, at least this time our herald's in time to announce me." He stated.

"I'll do my best." She told him. Riley caught her before she went.

"You didn't tell me your name." He reminded her. She smiled a little.

"My name's Leanne." She replied, blushing a little. "My name's Leanne."

With that, she ran off to the centre of the arena. Riley just smiled.

"Leanne." He repeated, seeing her prepare to make her announcement. Ivan came to Riley's side, carrying a lance.

"I trust all went well." Ivan stated. Riley just nodded.

"She offered to be my herald for the final bout." Riley stated. "She also gave me this for good luck."

"The lady granted you a favour?" Ivan said with a little smile. "Then her visit was welcome indeed."

"You can say that again, I've never jousted in my life, and now I'm going into a championship bout!" Riley told him. "I could use all the luck I can get."

As Riley rode off into the list, Ivan just gave a knowing smile and shook his head.

"Sometimes Riley, I forget how young you are." Ivan said with a little chuckle.

"My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the pride, and the pleasure to introduce to you not a knight, but a squire of remarkable skill and courage!" Leanne declared loudly as she looked to the crowd. "Fresh off a victory in the combat event over the Solaris Knight, Sir Daggeron of Briarwood, the Pride of Millport, Riley Griffin!"

The crowd erupted for Riley as he raised hi lance high, accepting their adulation. He looked to the opposite end of the list; the other herald was making his way out.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please be on your feet as you welcome back, last year's Grand Champion, the master of the Lance, the Flame of Courage, the defender of the Mystic Isles, Sir Rohan, the Red Mystic Knight of Tir Na Nog!"

Rohan rode out onto the list, raising his sword into the air.

"Fire Within Me!" He called out, causing his armour to form up around him. Riley took up his position.

"Unleash the Power!" Riley called out, morphing and preparing for the first tilt. Both men lined up opposite each other as a herald came out, carrying the flag. The crowd waited with baited breath as he lifted it. A horn sounded and the flag dropped, signalling the first tilt. Both men spurred on their mounts, thundering towards each other at speed, levelling their lances.


	24. Riley's Moment

As the flag dropped, Riley spurred Brightstar on towards his opponent. Having never been to the Mystic realms, he could only judge his opponent on reputation, having never heard of him before today. He knew that Rohan was a defending champion, indeed, he was the tournament Grand Champion two years running, and was heading towards his third. Knowing nothing else about him, he would have known that he was an exceptional warrior.

Riley struggled to level out his lance. It was much heavier than the swords he was used to using, and considerably more cumbersome to direct. He tried to put into effect the advice that Daggeron had gave him, treat it like a sword thrust. He had practiced with a foil so much that he had a pinpoint thrust, able to hit a mark less than the size of a penny every time. Of course that was when his feet were on the ground and he knew every movement that was coming. Sitting on the back of a galloping horse, or in his case unicorn, he had to compensate for the bouncing motion. He tried as best as he could to use his own body to compensate for the motion, to keep the lance as level as possible. Even then, the point still moved a considerable way with every step.

He bore down, looking right along the lance, keeping his attention on the tip. He tried to pick out his target, knowing he had to make it count. It was one point for a lance broken on the torso, two for one broken on the helmet, and three for taking his opponent from his horse. He didn't hold out much hope for unhorsing a former champion on his first ever tilt. He tried to make up his mind whether to go for the easy point, or to go for broke and aim for the helm. In the end, he went for it. A massive cheer went up as they slammed into each other, and splinters flew everywhere. Riley reeled in his saddle, but his will to compete compelled him to hold onto the reins for dear life. His vision was blurry, and his ears were ringing. Everything was distorted as he got to the end of the list, steadying himself as he rounded at the end. Ivan and Phineas were quickly at his side.

"Riley, how do you fare?" Ivan asked him.

"I'll live." Riley told him, trying to shake it off. It was easily the hardest he could ever remember being hit. Without an experience to gauge it by, he imagined it was like taking a sledgehammer to the forehead. That was when he thought of the situation. "How did it go?"

"It went...um..." Ivan started to say. "Well, you're still on the unicorn."

He looked down the list, seeing the attendants clearing up the debris. There was one lance well and truly shattered, but another that was lying completely intact...his lance! The gamble with aiming for the helmet was that the head tended to roll back and away, leaving the lance unbroken. If the rider wasn't unsaddled, then the strike would only score if the lance was broken. Riley looked to the flags, seeing confirmation of the result, two flags went up for Rohan, none for him. Rohan was already off to a commanding start!

"Give me a lance!" Riley told them as Rohan set up for the second tilt. Phineas handed him the lance.

"You're good with a sword, aim to survive." Ivan told him. "Go for the body, take the easy points, keep the gap as small as possible! After the third tilt, continue on foot."

Riley heard this, and knew it was sound advice. He had never even jousted before, never mind taking on a championship level competitor. It made sense to aim just to survive to take the battle to a sword fight. He almost cursed himself for his ambition, aiming for the head was risky, too risky. As the horn sounded, Riley and Rohan rode for each other yet again. This time, Riley decided to aim for the body. It was only one point, he wouldn't even equalise, but he was far more likely to score. He took careful aim, hoping to utilise his fencing experience and translate it into a blow that would upset Rohan's balance the most. He leaned right into the blow, hoping to bring a swift end to the bout and avoid a third tilt.

However, it seemed a third tilt was not in his destiny. Although he felt a jarring right up his arm, confirming that his own lance broke, but he quickly found himself looking up at the sky, then the stands, then the sand, which rushed up to meet him with alarming speed. The air was knocked out of him as he slammed into the ground. The crowd was going absolutely wild as Rohan held aloft what was left of his lance, throwing it to one nearby, lucky fan as a souvenir.

"Riley Griffin has been unhorsed, three lances to Sir Rohan!" One of the heralds declared loudly. Ivan and Phineas watched on as Riley finally made it to his knees, clutching his chest. The flags had gone up, he had scored a single point, but Rohan's three took his lead to five to one. Riley clung to what Ivan had advised him, he was skilled with a sword. Ivan was one of the greatest Knights in Earth's history. He believed in Riley, if he believed in him, then he had to believe he had a shot, even if it was a long shot. Rohan withdrew his visor.

"Riley, you have been unhorsed; you do not have to continue." Rohan reminded him. "Do you yield, or do you wish to continue?"

Riley got shakily to his feet, summoning up his Dino Sabre and adopting a guard. Rohan just smiled, leaping off his horse.

"You are brave indeed." Rohan complimented him, summoning up his own sword. They both started to circle each other, looking for an opening. Rohan made the first move with a cautious jab, only for Riley to swipe it away and swing a riposte that Rohan barely ducked away from. Everyone in the arena got to their feet as Rohan closed his visor once more. Riley was behind, but he was determined not to let that stand in his way.

Back in the Dino Lab, Tyler wished he could do more than lend moral support, but there really wasn't much he could do. He wasn't exactly dim, but most of Kendall's technology was well beyond anything the average person could comprehend. Shelby understood some of it, hell, she had helped Kendall with the E-Tracer, but at times it felt like asking him to do anything other than a basic city scan or request a system's diagnostic on the equipment was somewhat akin to asking a chimpanzee to perform open heart surgery. He was doing all he could, which at the moment consisted of watching the readings on Riley's equipment. Whatever was happening, Riley had called for his weapons, and given the spikes in the readings, he was certainly giving them a workout!

"Damn, that had to hurt!" Tyler commented. "I don't know who he's fighting, but looking at this, it looks like he hits as hard as Fury!"

Kendall didn't respond, she didn't really want to hear this. It was bad enough that she didn't know where they were, but knowing that they were fighting was another thing altogether. She had promised Riley's mom that she would keep him safe, and she had promised Matt the same thing. She had allowed Riley and Ivan to go because she thought that a friendly challenge would help Ivan, giving him something familiar in this modern time, the same way as the caves beneath the museum gave Koda something that reminded him of home. She never for one minute imagined that Chip intended to take them to another dimension to take part in some tournament that by the sounds of things was comparable to a full on Ranger battle!

"I think...I think I've found a bandwidth that will let me patch into Riley's systems." Kendall told him.

"You have?" Tyler asked. "Let me see..."

"I said I THINK I have, give me a chance!" Kendall interrupted him harshly. "OK, there's no audio or communications link, but I think I can get an image if I just...YES!"

The screen burst into life, shifting from senseless static into a viewpoint right from Riley's helmet. They managed to bring up the image just in time to see a golden armoured knight swinging a sword right for him with a huge cry.

"OK, who the hell is that?" Tyler asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Kendall responded. Just then, one of his blows was blocked, before Riley's sword blurred into view, rebounding off his breast plate, sending sparks flying.

"Come on Riley!" Tyler called out. "You've got this!"

Back at the tourney, Riley and Rohan had the entire crowd on their feet, unable to contain themselves. The cheers were deafening, and the stomping of feet and clapping of hands was like a thunderstorm. Riley though was keeping as much of this out of his mind as possible, concentrating on his opponent. The score was now seven to four in Rohan's favour. In their latest exchange, their blades became locked, and they grappled for position, aiming to get the room to take the next point.

Rohan was impressed by his young opponent. Riley was clawing back from a substantial deficit. He was already up by four before they had taken to the sword. Rohan had fought in wars for the Mystic Isles, and in particular for his home, the kingdom of Kells for most of his adult life. He had faced many strong opponents, but this squire, a man little older than he was when he first graced a battlefield was the match of anyone he had faced. He lacked a certain aggressive nature, and raw edge that most he had faced had, but the one thing he couldn't deny was that his technique was pretty close to flawless. It was like every thrust, every swing, even every footstep was measured and considered, like it had been practiced 10,000 or more times! Rohan was larger, heavier, taller, but even as they grappled, everything about Riley's stance, his technique was designed to counter those advantages, meaning that he couldn't simply overpower him.

Riley had tried everything he knew, he had tried to go for every hold, every lock he knew, but despite the size difference, Rohan was as quick as a viper, and moved to prevent him pressing any advantage. Just as he was about to throw him or go for a lock, Rohan moved to release the pressure. They were at an impasse. Riley had always been a big believer in skill over all else, but here, it didn't appear to be doing him much good. He decided to take a play out of Koda's playbook. Leaning into Rohan, forcing the Mystic Knight to push back, he suddenly released, allowing him to surge forward, before bringing his forehead straight into his face plate.

Rohan was stunned by this move. The face plate stopped the head butt from smashing his face in, but his face plate driving back into his face still gave him the unmistakable taste of blood in his mouth. While he was staggered, Riley ripped the sword from his hand, sending it spinning away, before running forward, hacking Rohan down.

"Battle Fury Mode!" Rohan called out, seeing that he was now unarmed, and that Riley could easily take all the points he needed unless he powered up. His armour turned red, and a pair of sword-length blades shot out of his wrist guards. He blocked the next strike, forcing Riley to retreat with a wild swipe before he could take more than one point. The score was now seven to five!

"Come on Riley!" Ivan beckoned him. "You can do this!"

"Dino Steel Mode!" Riley called out, powering up into his armour, and clutching his Raptor Claw tightly. Rohan had seen Riley's bout with Daggeron, he knew exactly what he could do with that Raptor Claw. Riley watched as a device appeared in his hands, one that looked a lot like a bazooka!

"Oh shit!" Riley muttered, throwing himself aside as Rohan set down a curtain of flame from his Dragon Blaster. He rolled to his feet and ran for all he was worth as Rohan continued to follow him. He ducked and dived, narrowly avoiding each blast, but the weapon was far more cumbersome than Daggeron's Laser Lamp, something that stood in his favour. Riley managed to close the gap, sweeping the weapon from Rohan's hands, but in return, Rohan caught him across the gut, taking the score to eight to five.

Their blades sparked off each other as they went for each other with everything they had. Riley's lungs burned with every breath as he went for his opponent. A quick exchange ended in a back-handed rake of his Raptor claw, taking a sixth point. Rohan knew he had to shut Riley down, and went for him with a double-blade strike, dashing through his guard and taking the ninth point. Riley saw his opening, catching Rohan's hands, and locking them with his sword, he sent power pulse down, shattering both of Rohan's blades, catching him with an uppercut with his Raptor Claw, taking a sixth, but leaving Rohan unarmed! Rohan powered down out of Battle Fury Mode as he hit the ground. Riley could see him prone, he knew that victory was close, so close he could almost taste it! Four points separated them, but Rohan didn't have a weapon! It would be a simple matter to take those four points!

At least, that was what he thought. Rohan swept his feet out from under him, rolling back to his feet. He swung a wild kick, taking Riley's sword from his hand and sending it into the stands. Snatching up his sword, Rohan ran to Riley, kicking him down before he could get back to his feet. He stepped on his wrist, pinning his Raptor claw to the ground. Riley could only look up as he was about to bring down his sword for the winning point. That was when the air was torn by a huge explosion.

"INVASION!" Ivar yelled as he, Diedre and Angus powered up. Rohan looked to where they were running. Several powerful wizards and a good number of the competitors were running to meet the threat.

Riley could see warriors, wearing armour with a familiar pattern, black metal patterned with bronze. At the fore of the invading force was the knight Ivan had defeated in his first bout in the combat arena. Rohan released Riley, who just got up and watched on as the invaders set fire to tents and chased spectators, however given the sheer number of powerful warriors and wizards in the arena, it looked like it was a rather pointless endeavour. That was until the ground started to shake.

"GIANTS!" Angus yelled, swinging his flail, casting boulders their way. "The bastard brought giants!"

Riley could see them coming, they weren't hard to miss. They were the size of a Megazord, and came forth, bellowing unintelligible cries, while swinging clubs that were simply uprooted trees, smashing all around them. They were wearing armour that could easily outfit a whole regiment, meaning that this took some preparation. Riley was about to join the battle, but Rohan pulled a dagger out of his belt.

"I call on the Great Dragon Pyre!" Rohan announced at the top of his lungs. Everyone, including the invaders all froze to the spot as a huge roar thundered across the land. It wasn't long before the source of that roar was known. Pyre, a massive dragon, wearing a golden cuirass came into view, smashing waves of warriors aside with his massive claws. It sent the giants running for their lives with huge burst of flame breath that could have burned a city block to the ground in seconds. Before long, there was huge cheer as all the invaders were sent running for their lives. Riley pulled off his helmet, staring open-mouthed.

"That...that was..."

"Archon always was a sore loser." Rohan chuckled as people started to return to the camp. "Most years he just starts a punch-up at the grand feast, but I guess this time he's a little sore about a first-round exit."

"Sir Rohan!" They heard a voice stating. They turned to see one of the judges standing up. He looked to the Mystic Knight. "You know the rules."

"Rules?" Riley asked.

"The bout was not finished!" The judge stated. "And summoning spells are forbidden!"

"You're kidding, right?" Angus asked, withdrawing his face plate. "He just saved..."

"Rules are rules!" The judge told him, gesturing to a herald. He started to run towards Rohan's shield, carrying a white flag. Riley just sighed seeing this. "Sir Rohan, for violating the rules against..."

"NO!" Riley called out, drawing everyone's attention. The herald stopped in his tracks, and Riley was suddenly aware of the fact everyone was staring at him. He could see what was happening. Rohan hadn't summoned Pyre against HIM; his appearance had no effect on the match whatsoever. He had only even called him to fend off the giants.

Riley went to the herald and wrenched the flag from his grip. He walked over to his own shield and draped the white flag over it. There was a massive gasp from the audience.

"I forfeit!" Riley announced. Rohan just looked to him, a little surprised to see this. The judges also seemed surprised. "I want to win! You have no idea how much I want to win! But not like this! Rohan had me dead to rights! I was down! I was disarmed! He was a second away from defeating me fair and square!"

Riley turned to Rohan and extended a hand.

"I want to win, I want to be a champion, but not on a technicality. I only want to be a champion if I'm the better man on the day." Riley told him, extending a hand. "Today you were the better man."

"You are a fine man yourself." Rohan said, pulling off his helmet and accepting his handshake. The crowd erupted as they shook hands. The judges had to deliberate for a moment, deciding how to proceed. Rohan had indeed TECHNICALLY broken the rules, albeit with no effect on the bout. They eventually came to a decision.

"Riley of Millport has forfeited the bout." The lead judge declared. Riley was both pleased and disappointed to hear this. He had forfeited before they could formally announce Rohan's disqualification, and so it seemed that took precedence. "Your winner, and Tournament Grand Champion, Sir Rohan of the Mystic Isles!"

Riley went back to his entourage as Rohan celebrated his victory. Ivan came to him, seeing the Green Ranger's expression, which was a mixture of both happiness, but also disappointment.

"I'm sorry I blew it." Riley told Ivan. Ivan shook his head.

"I doubt any Knight could be more proud of his squire!" Ivan told him. "You valued your honour over glory. I have seen many so-called nobles do the opposite."

"Like I said, I only want the title if I win it fair and square." Riley told him, looking to where Rohan was celebrating. The Mystic Knight waved to him in recognition. "Other than that, what's the point of winning?"

"Alright, let's get you two some healing spells pronto!" Phineas declared. They both looked to him.

"Healing spells?" Riley asked. "I thought..."

"They're only illegal DURING the tourney!" Phineas clarified. "Do you think anyone wants to go to banquet with a broken rib or a missing limb? Come on, there's still the title ceremony to go."

With that, he led them towards the healer's tent. Riley just took one last look back. He didn't want a cheap win. When his time came, he wanted it to be all on his own efforts.


	25. Moment of Glory

It was late in the evening by the time Koda finished his shift and got to the gym. He saw Alessandra in a corner, doing some gentle yoga to stretch out as she waited for him. He smiled as he saw her. He didn't know much about this modern era, but he knew what he felt. Any time he saw her, his heart felt like it jumped into his throat. His brain was somewhere about a million miles from his body any time he saw her. He smiled as he saw her, putting down his bag.

"You early." Alessandra said as she saw him. Koda just nodded.

"I promise." He answered. "In three weeks, wrestle Vinnie, we train."

Alessandra nodded and got onto the matt. In a corner of the gym, Jack was watching on in interest. He took a slug from his hip flask as he watched on, while Koda and Alessandra trained.

Back in the Mystic Realm, Riley came into a tent, only to find it was more like a palace! Although from the outside it was just a simple tent, it had been enchanted, so that in the inside, it was more like a full ballroom. Everyone was dressed to impress! Riley had to admit feeling more than a little out of place wearing only jeans and a green sweatshirt, but he didn't have anything else considering the fact he had never expected to be there in the first place. Leanne came over, smiling brightly.

"Hey, you came!" She said enthusiastically. "I like your outfit."

"It's nothing special." Riley told her. Leanne held her hand over her mouth as she giggled in response.

"I'm not that clueless." She responded. "My dad works at Amber Beach Docks. I go to AB High School. I know how people dress."

"Oh." Riley replied, looking almost embarrassed. "Um...I'm not sure many people..."

"Believe me; most of these old farts don't know anything of our realm." Leanne assured him. "Listen, I've been meaning to ask, but...um..."

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Someone announced, at which the music stopped. Everyone turned to where three figures were standing, one in red, one in white, and one in black. It was the Tribuneral of Magic. "We are here to announce your champions!"

Everyone erupted into a round of applause.

"For the Fifth year in a row, your master of Archery, Princess Diedre of the Mystic Isles!"

Diedre made her way regally to the steps, bowing her head to allow one of the tribunal to place a wreath upon her head.

"Your champion of Combat on Foot, Riley Griffin!" The one in black declared, raising another applause. Riley didn't know what else to do, he headed over to the stage, bowing as the being put a wreath upon his head. He could have died in that second and been a happy man; his heart was almost jumping out of his chest as he accepted the accolade.

"Finally, champion of the joust and tournament Grand Champion, Sir Rohan of the Mystic Isles!"

Everyone went wild as Rohan came to the stand to accept the cup. Riley politely applauded as his opponent held the cup overhead, taking in the admiration of the crowd. Leanne took him by the arm.

"Come on, let's go get some wine." She told him. "They don't card anyone here."

"Sir Rohan, as Grand Champion you not only win the title, but also a boon from the Mystic Council." The one in black told him as Leanne poured Riley some wine. "Whatever you wish shall be made so."

"I have lifted this trophy three years in a row." Rohan began. "However, this time I lift the cup for only one reason, for the humility and honour of a squire."

Riley was starting to drink some wine from a horn, but he was stunned by this recognition. Rohan just looked to him and smiled.

"You have skill with a sword beyond many twice your age." Rohan began. "If I knew nothing else, that would be enough for me to consider you my equal. However, you tilt when you should withdraw, and you have the honour to withdraw when many would tilt."

He looked back to the three beings before him.

"I name my boon!" Rohan declared.

"Sir Rohan, give me your sword." The one in black stated. Rohan gave him his sword. "Riley, come forth!"

Riley walked towards them nervously. He watched as the one in black scored a square in the ground, not even half a foot in any direction.

"This is your land." The one in black stated. Riley just looked confused.

"I don't understand..."

"Sir Rohan, would you like to do the honours?"

Rohan took back his sword and looked to Riley.

"Kneel." He told him. Riley didn't know why, but he felt compelled to do so. Rohan levelled a sword on his shoulder.

"Will anyone speak upon his behalf?" Rohan asked. Ivan bowed.

"Riley is one of the bravest young men I have ever fought with." He stated. "I was PROUD to name him as my second and have him fight in my stead."

"I vouch for him also." Daggeron declared. "He was easily my match."

"I take your word and vow together with my own assessment. It takes a good man to win." Rohan stated. "It takes a GREAT man to win the right way. Kneel, Riley Griffin."

He lifted the sword, touching it to Riley's other shoulder.

"Arise SIR Riley Griffin."

Riley kept his composure long enough to get to his feet, before the place erupted. As the second son, he was always second place to his brother, the legend of Millport, but for one night, in this one place, it was all about him. Leanne grabbed him as the music started to play.

"Come, dance!" She told him, looking away as she giggled. "It's not every day you become a noble!"

Riley couldn't argue, he just took her in his arms and started to sway, allowing her to let him know where he was meant to be. He had never felt like he belonged in Millport, but for one night, he was the main event...and it felt great!

Back in the real world, Koda and Alessandra were continuing with their training. Koda was careful not to strain her shoulder, knowing it was still going to be a while before she was up to the kind of moves she was used to doing. Unfortuately, that was more than a little restrictive. Alessandra was used to a very athletic, highly gymnastic style, and that was what her fans expected now.

"Stop, stop!" She beckoned Koda as she backed off, cradling her shoulder. Koda backed off without another word. He adored Alessandra, and would never do anything to harm her. He heard a sigh from the corner.

"You're not doing her any favours." Jack stated. Koda just glared at him. Jack Malone, "The Deer Hunter" Jack Malone was a legend in the business, and was one of Koda's favourite wrestlers of all time, but right now all he could think about was the fact that Alessandra was hurt, and he would do anything, even get hurt himself rather than see her do something that would cost Alessandra her career.

"We work hard." Koda stated. "She hurt..."

"Kid, there's a difference between working hurt and working injured!" Jack told him. "I won two championships with a broken foot. I once worked a match for half an hour with a concussion."

Jack threw back another mouthful from his hip flask, before stepping up to the mat.

"You like doing all that acrobatic shit right?" He asked. "Just because you do acrobatic shit doesn't mean to say you have to take risks."

Jack clicked his fingers, pointing to Koda.

"Here, lock up with me."

He locked up in a collar-and-elbow tie up with Koda, taking on a strong stance. He strained against him for a moment.

"Corner!" Jack told him, before tossing Koda into the corner. The Blue Ranger hit the turnbuckles hard, but was ready as Jack ran at him.

"Headlock takedown and roll through!" Jack said, launching himself at Koda. Koda caught him in a bridal carry, while Jack put his arm around his neck. Koda rolled back to his feet, hitting the opposite corner. Jack ran at him again. "Same again!"

Koda repeated the procedure, hitting the opposite turnbuckle again. Jack ran at him one more time.

"Catch and hold me!" Jack told him, launching himself into Koda's arms. Koda had no problems holding his weight; Jack started to kick his arms and legs.

"Stagger out to the middle of the ring." Jack told him. Koda did as he was told. "Now...back bump!"

Koda kicked up his legs, hitting the mat back first. Jack got off him, smiling.

"Not bad kid." He stated. "I learned that little sequence from Jackie Pallo."

He looked to Alessandra.

"There's a sequence that is acrobatic, but won't put you at too much risk." He told her. "Put that into your match with Vinnie."

As he rolled out of the ring, leaving Alessandra and Koda to train, Carl was quickly by his side.

"You're training now?" Carl asked him.

"Does it look like I'm a trainer?" Jack asked, taking another long swig from his hip flask. He looked to the ring. "Carl...a moment?"

He took him aside, gesturing to the ring.

"Who's the kid?" Jack asked.

"Koda, he's been training a few weeks." Carl told him.

"Weeks?" Jack asked.

"He's got something..."

"He has a look and he has talent, he just needs the rub." Jack told him. A "rub" was something of an industry term. While many aging superstars were fearful of young performers coming in and taking their spot, others knew that the only way for young stars to become superstars was for them to earn a name for themselves. A series of matches with an established star, or teaming with an established star was an easy way to use that performer's popularity to bolster the reputation of the up-and-comer...also known as...giving him a rub! "You have the Kollossal Koallition coming back don't you?"

"Don't remind me." Carl sighed. The last time he'd booked them was a disaster. One of them had been arrested at the Canadian border for trying to board a flight while smoking a spliff; the other...Alessandra was still feeling the effects of that match, which was close to becoming an act of assault! The only reason Carl was even booking them was because it would avoid a lengthy lawsuit. While he'd easily have proven them in breach of contract, by the time all was said and done, it would have cost him enough money to put on three or four local shows! It was easier just to book them and put them in an undercard match.

"Tag me with the kid." Jack told him. Carl just stared at him. "Trust me."

"Koda!" Carl called out, interrupting Koda and Alessandra as they practiced the routine Jack had shown them. "A minute?"

Koda rolled out of the ring, leaving Alessandra to stretch off and practice some bumps. Koda looked to Carl.

"You want me?" He asked. Carl just sighed.

"Not me, him." Carl replied, pointing to Jack. Koda was sure his heart stopped beating as he looked to Jack. Jack was one of his favourite ever wrestlers, just working out in the same gym as him was a dream come true! The old man popped a couple of pills out of a strip into his hand, which he popped into his mouth, and washed down with the contents of his hip flask.

"So there's this show in a couple of weeks." Jack told him. "The Kollosal Koallistion are on the card. I'm liking the look of you as a tag partner, what do you say?"

Koda started whooping and running in circles around the gym, jumping in the air and pumping his hands in the air. Jack just sighed as he took a seat, swigging more from his hip flask.

"I'll take that as a yes then."

Kendall was slumped over the desk, her hair out of place, struggling to keep her eyes open as she stared at the screen. There was a burst of light, and she almost jumped straight out of her skin as Riley and Ivan appeared before her. Ivan was propping Riley up as best as he could.

"What the...?"

"Do you have somewhere Riley...?"

"SIR Riley." Riley slurred as he raised, then quickly dropped a hand. Ivan just smirked.

"SIR Riley can rest?" He asked. "It appears he has not gained much of a resistance to wine."

"He's sixteen!" Kendall reminded him. Ivan just looked to her.

"This is unusual?" He asked. Kendall just sighed and shook her head. In his day, life was much shorter. It wasn't unusual for people to be married and parents by 13. He had been on the battlefield since that age. It wasn't unusual for people to drink by their early teens, and people in their forties were considered old.

"Just...find somewhere to lay him down where he won't hurt himself." Kendall told him. Ivan just laid Riley down on the floor.

"Hey, Kendalll..."

"It's MISS Morgan!" She reminded him. Riley just giggled.

"Did Ivan tell you? I'm a knight!" Riley told her. She just looked to Ivan, who just nodded.

"It is true, he earned that title." He replied.

"Just like he earned the mother of all hangovers by the looks of things." Kendall replied. Riley looked to her with a goofy grin.

"So, if you and Matt get married...would you let me call you...?"

"OK! I think you've had enough excitement for one day!" Kendall replied as she laid him down on a fur pelt, giving Ivan one of her signature death-glares.

"I suppose I shall hear of this in the morning." Ivan surmised.

"You'll be cleaning up after him if he pukes." Kendall told him matter-of factly, before leaving. Ivan just went to Riley's side.

Think not of the headache that awaits you." Ivan told him, pressing a turquoise handkerchief into Riley's hand. "Think only of your moment of glory."

As he left, Riley just gave a goofy smile, drifting off to sleep with the handkerchief in his hand.

Fin.


End file.
